Hydeland Warriors
by Spitfire1994
Summary: Desperate for cash a young explorer joins the Adventurer's Guild in order to pay rent. What was meant to be a simple task turns into a series of events that leads him across the kingdom of Hydeland. To survive the perilous labyrinths and catacombs he'll need to form a team of highly skilled individuals.
1. The First Step

The Kingdom of Hydeland, a land rich with fantasy and wonder, sprouting with beautiful landscapes and ruins that held legendary stories hidden in history, just seeing how settlements and nature peacefully co-existing with flourishing majesty was a treat to sightseers and tourists alike. Hydeland was especially popular among those seeking thrills; Adventures come and go to explore ancient labyrinths and catacombs, of which Hydeland provided for all who were brave enough to take the challenge…

We begin with a quiet morning at the Dragon Haven Inn where a lone customer, a young man who appeared to be in his early twenties, sat at the bar to have a drink. His most distinguishable feature was his current outfit, which was fairly modern in design, consisting of a simple black hoodie, blue jeans and white shoes designed with two diagonal black stripes down the side. The young man often found himself under the curious eye of the townsfolk, but rightfully so since he was a clear contrast within the kingdom's apparent medieval time-frame, but many just wrote it off as foreign fashion design.

He took a long drink of his cider before putting the mug down and sighing in a fit of exhaustion. He now sat in silence with his elbow on the table, his palm resting against his cheek as the bartender stood before him cleaning out a glass cup with a white cloth.

"…So," The bartender spoke to break the silence "still no luck finding some work?" He asked with a curious glance, based on the question he was familiar with his customer.

The young man looks up to the bartender with a facial expression that hinted at an incoming negative response. "Nope." He answers casually. "It's a bit difficult to find work, but to be fair I should've expected this. I'm new in town, of course nobody would just open the door."

"Chin up. You're a strapping young lad. I'm certain you'll find work eventually." The bartender assured as he placed the glass he was cleaning upon the shelf.

The young man helplessly lowered his head down to the table to rest, he was still a bit sleepy. "I hope so. My landlord is expecting some cash soon."

The bartender thought to himself briefly before he caught an idea. He crouched below the counter and rustled through some old paperwork.

"Ah! Here it is." After searching through his messy documents he got up and placed a flier down before the youth. "You should try this." He spoke up to get his customer's attention.

After raising his head the unnamed male took the flier and began reading over it. "The Adventurer's Guild?" He asked with a puzzled look.

"If you're in need of making money then this may help. You don't currently belong to the guild, I recommend registering. You can find an assortment of tasks there. You can even learn some new skills."

He reads over the flier once more for good measure, just to ensure he didn't miss a single detail. While being part of the guild was bound to warrant danger how bad could it be for someone who was just starting out? He could always decline if things seemed way out of hand for him and the more he thought about it the more he found himself willing to give it shot.

"Hm. Yeah, this'll do. What have I got to lose, right?"

Before the bartender could respond the sound of the Inn's door closing got his attention.

"Hmp. Do you really think it'll be that easy?" A feminine voice spoke from behind them.

The two men turn their attention to the voice and to their surprise a woman in bewitching purple attire stood before them. She was a redhead with long, flowing hair that extended down her back. Her large hat covered her eyes, adding a sense of mystery to her sudden appearance.

"You are but a squire." She added. "Only the highest ranked adventurers join the Adventure's Guild." A smile slowly curled upon her face as she began to take a few steps forward, approaching the two.

The younger of the two men simply sat in silence, staring at the mysterious woman with a single brow raised in a questioning gesture.

"What's the matter?" She asked retaining her condescending smile. "Silenced from your own naivete?" She raised her head so that her eyes were visible but the moment she fully revealed her face the one she was directing her question to had his back turned, paying her any mind.

"Yo, do you see how huge her boobs are? How the heck do you even walk around with those things?" He took his mug and had another drink of cider.

The bartender snickered uncontrollably behind his hand which he used in an attempt to conceal his laughter.

The tone on the woman's cheeks went from fair to rosy in just seconds, an apparent blush showing her embarrassment at his comment. She stomped her foot on the wooden floor to show she didn't appreciate that he ignored her. "W-What?! Were you even listening to me?" She asked with a piercing glare.

"Not really." He answered casually with his back still turned facing her.

She clenched her fist spitefully at her chest and scowled. "Why you…!" Before completely losing her cool she managed to regain her composure and adjusted her hat. "Ahem. I shall not let myself be deterred by a knave. You'll never get into the guild, plain and simple." She gave a cocky grin with her arms folded under her large bust.

"Yeah? And why's that?" He humored her comment with a question, facing her with a rivaling smile.

"I told you before: only adventurers of the highest rank join the guild." She then turns her gaze off to the side with a look of seriousness on her face. "Even at my level of skill I was unable to join." It was as if the guild's registration was ruthless to those seeking acceptance, or at least according to her.

The male noticed she was carrying a staff to which he pointed. "Maybe they didn't let you in because your weapon is a tree branch?" His tone seemed to suggest genuine curiosity but his aura gave off sarcasm.

"This is no tree branch! It's a Light Staff!" She exclaimed.

"It's a piece of junk." He retorted.

The woman's eye comically twitched at his remarks. "Let's see your weapon then." She began tapping her foot impatiently, clearly flustered.

"I don't have one."

The woman huffed at his reply with a snarky smirk. "Make fun of me and you don't even have a weapon? Foolish. There's no way you'll ever join the guild."

* * *

 **5 minutes later**  
 **~ The Adventurers Guild ~**

"You're in! Welcome to the guild, my young friend!" The guild master, Samuel Joseph, congratulated the young man who stood before him.

"...You've got to be kidding me." The woman mumbled underneath her breath in utter disbelief.

In contrast to her reaction the young man was grinning devilishly at her, his hands tucked away in his hoodies pocket.

"Stay salty." He was gloating with modern vernacular.

Samuel gave a mighty pat to the younger males back, making him jerk forward. He shrieked as his eyes widened from the impact of the metal gauntlets.

The master gave a thunderous laugh as he pat his newest member on the back multiple times much to the former's dismay due to his overly masculine arms and hand hurting.

"It's a pleasure to have you on board, young warrior- uh…I don't believe I caught your name."

"I go by 'the Player', around these parts, sir…"

"Aah, I see. Well then it certainly is a pleasure to have you on board, Player."

"This isn't fair!" The woman cried out before shoving the Player to the side so that she was standing in his place before Samuel."How come he gets to join but I can't? I'm a skilled sorceress who can create ice tornados! How am I not deemed worthy?!"

Samuel pointed to the Light Staff. "Your weapon of choice is a tree branch. Why would I allow you to join with that?"

The woman's eyes were nothing more than two white circles, her jaw dropped and depressing lines of blue descended upon her head. She was speechless.

"Ha! I told you!" The Player exclaimed out of view.

She raised her index finger to the guild master. "…One chance." Her comment resulted in a mildly dismissive stare from Samuel. "Just one chance for me to prove myself. That's all I ask."

"You wish to demonstrate your skills with a test?" Samuel was now intrigued by her proposal. She nods ffrantically which earned a smile from the guild master. "This much I can allow. A test of skill it is. Your assignment is to find a warrior named Roland. You can find him at the Ancient Temple Ruins."

Joyed to see he was willing to give her a chance the busty young woman demonstrated a victorious fist pump, only to realize it may have been unprofessional to demonstrate so she quickly stands up straight before him with a determined smile.

"Yes! I understand but one last request?" She asks.

"What is it?"

"The Player has to prove himself as well."

"Huh?!" The Player questioned with a look of shock and disapproval.

Hearing his elevated voice of concern made the Sorceress smirk delightfully. "It would be wise to test your newest member before letting him in, wouldn't you agree? Just imagine the shame he could bring to the guild if he proves weak or unskilled." She continued to instigate with a return to that endearing smile when addressing the master.

"Yes, you raise a fine point. A test of brawn for the boy. That sounds like a great idea. Young Player, you will accompany her. You will both share the task in assisting Roland."

"What? Why?!" The Player confusingly held his arms out, feeling cheated out of his spot after he was already declared a member.

The busty woman grabbed him by the hood of his hoodie and dragged him along with a look of satisfaction plastered all over her face. She was giggling with each step while childish groans came from the Player. The duo left the guild and Samuel returned to his duties of standing around like a statue, doing nothing…

More importantly, unbeknownst to the pair, prior their departure they were being observed by a member of the guild, a muscular female warrior with white hair. As they left she displayed an intrigued grin.

* * *

 **~ Town Area ~**  
 **Outside the Adventure's Guild**

"You really had to ruin that for me, didn't you?" The Player was heavily sulking and midly annoyed. He stood with his arms crossed and his back against the nearby tree.

The woman was too busy feeling accomplished to relish in his current mood. She looks at him with a cat-like smile as she telepathically twirled her Light Staff with her index finger.

"What's a little hard work to earn a spot in the guild? I'm helping you grow into a man, you should be thanking me." That was clearly sarcasm.

"How would you know anything about a man? I bet your monster boobs scare 'em all away."

A red vein of anger appeared on her head. She began snarling at him which displayed a row of newly formed sharp teeth. "What'd you just say?!" There was an intense red aura surrounding her as her anger fueled.

"Nothin' at all. Calm your tits." He teased before standing up straight to stretch out his arms and yawn. "Who are you anyway?" He asked looking somewhat bored.

"If you must know, I'm the Sorceress. I have superior knowledge of dark magic and my all-knowing of arcane arts cannot be ignored. I'm also-"

"Wow. That is not interesting." He interrupted in the midst of her sentence without a care in the world. "I meant your name and not much else." He clarified.

"I told you! I'm…the, uh…Sorceress."

The Player briefly gave her an uncertain squinted glance as if she were crazy. Since there was no response he gave her a new look, one eye squinted while the other was just open, suggesting he was in doubt, if it wasn't obvious before this look should really tell her he thought she was crazy.

"...What?" He questioned with a perplexed facial expression.

"…I don't have a name."

"Heh. Quit playing around."

She just looks at him with a dull gander, remaining silent as she didn't want to repeat herself.

"...Wow. You're Serious."

"Yes. Why would I lie about that?"

The Player just stood there and nods as if he understood but not a second later he bursts into laughter. The Sorceress blushed out of embarrassment and looked to the side with her arms crossed as if not paying him any mind.

"You have a strange sense of humor, you know that? You're laughing at me but your name is 'The Player'. That's not so different from mine."

"Oh, no, see I actually have a name. I'm just going by that alias while I'm staying here. YOUR parent's just left you nameless. Ok, ok. It's not so bad, funny, but not bad. How about I just give you a name? From this day forth you shall be known as... Blair!"

"Blair?" She repeated.

"Yeah, y'know, like 'The Blair Witch'?"

That wasn't familiar to her. "The what?" She questioned with a slight tilt of the head.

"You've never heard of- Ugh, never mind. Screw it, we'll just stick with Sorceress. Do you remember where this Roland guy?"

"I believe Samuel said he's at the Ancient Temple Ruins."

"And how do we get there?"

Unsure herself the Sorceress couldn't answer. She folds her arms lost in thought. "Um…"

' _To prove your mettle for the guild master, you head to the Ancient Temple Ruins to assist the warrior, Roland.'_

Seemingly out of nowhere a voice from the sky suddenly began to speak. The Player and Sorceress quickly noticed this and began to scan their surroundings.

"...The fu- Did you hear that?" The Player asked turning his attention back to the Sorceress.

She nods, rather timidly too, unsure of what to make of this. "Y-Yeah."

' _A magic gate was recently found in the ruins on the outskirts of town.'_ The voice spoke once again, assisting them in their prior question. _'Use that to reach your destination.'_

Looking up to the sky the Player asks "…God, is that you?"

' _What? No. I'm just your narrator.'_

The Player and Sorceress look to one another, lost, before looking back to the sky. "Narrator?" They both questioned.

' _Yes. All new guild members get their own narrator. Pretty neat, huh?'_

The Player wasn't too keen on this and looked a bit unsettled. "It's pretty weird actually. What if someone sees us talking to you?" As he was talking a man and young child were walking by and noticed him talking to the sky.

"Daddy, is that man ok? He's talking to the sky."

"Must've been sniffing some Dragon's Dust. Say no to drugs, my son."

The man took his son's hand and continued walking down the dirt roadway.

' _Civilians can't hear me. I'm a voice that only applies to you and your party members.'_

"I have so many questions…" The Player declares.

' _Just pretend I'm not here. Now get to the gate and go find Roland already.'_

"…Bossy. Let's just go and get this over with. Sorceress. You ready?"

"Indeed."

After the 'introduction' with their audible companion the duo made their way down the road.

* * *

 **Party Update  
** Member Count (+1): 2

Player  
Role: Leader  
Weapon: None  
Skills: Unknown  
Info: A strategist who remains neutral in all fields. He keeps the team one step ahead of the enemy using a keen eye.

Sorceress **(Added!)**  
Role: Defensive Support  
Weapon: Light Staff (Ice)  
Skills: Levitation/Rock Press  
Info: A witch who controls magical forces at her whim. She has high magic defense and good support magic

* * *

 **~ Town Outskirts ~  
Ancient Ruins**

"These must be the ruins the voice was talking about but where is the gate?"

The two investigate the ruins but didn't find much other than a pathway leading to an ancient Colosseum. As they continue to explore north the Sorceress caught glimpse of a blue light emitting from a large mystical portal framed by large statue renditions of ancient women that existed before their time.

"Hey, I think I found it!" She alerted her partner who was investigating some ancient writing on a nearby wall.

The Player heard her call and catches up with his partner, now seeing the magical gate for himself. "This is the ancient gate?" He asked her with a curious gaze.

"It must be." The Sorceress answer. "Come on, Roland's waiting."

As she took the first step the Player grabbed her arm to prevent her from going in. "Hold on! You're just to just walk through that thing?"

She looks back at him, surprised he stopped her from going any further. "Well, yes, we have to."

"I know we have a job to do but we only know about this gate thing because some useless voice over, that nobody needs, told us so."

'… _Screw you.'_

The Player, who was completely unaware the narrator was even there, gave a quiet sheepish look up to the sky.

"It's the only lead we have so far. Oh! Heh, I get it. You're scared." The Sorceress' cat smile resurfaced to tease him. "Tell ya what, you can stay here and I'll go help Roland in your stead, little one."

Releasing her arm the Player gave her a competitive look. "You calling me a coward?" The naive fellow was unaware he was being played and fell right into her setup.

The Sorceress simply turned her back to him, to let out a silent 'Yes!' to mark her success, she was feeling giddy. "I have no problem doing a man's job for him." She replied facing him once more.

Unamused the Player faced the gate and, like a fool trying to prove a point, recklessly charges toward for the portal and runs through.

* * *

 **~ Ancient Temple Ruins ~**  
 **Entrance**

The Player ended up being thrown out of a similar portal and fell onto his hands and knees after being tossed out of the gate. He was surprised to see that he was in a completely different location.

"What? Where in the world am I? Is this the temple ruins? Wow. The voice in the sky wasn't bullsh-"

Suddenly the Sorceress popped out of the portal and landed directly on top of him, forcing the Player to face plant into the ground. The back of his head was smothered between her cleavage.

"Nnngh...What a bizarre trip…hm?" As she sat up the Sorceress noticed her companion was laid out, face down, on the ground. "Oh, Player, you cushioned my fall. How chivalrous of you."

The only reply he could muster were inaudible muffles.

After picking himself up from the ground the Player stood up in a mild daze, he had a bit of trouble finding his balance. "You…did that…on purpose."

"I did no such thing." She assures but the smile on her face hinted that she was pleased nevertheless.

The Sorceress picked up her Light Staff and began making her way into the ruins with the Player following her lead. She carefully observed each area they passed as the ancient temple was relatively large, finding a single man in such an old and rundown place would surely prove difficult, though in truth she was keen on the ruins and not the mission.

"Such a wondrous place. These ruins are the key to uncovering the truth of the ancient civilization that was once established here."

"Don't forget we're here to find Roland, Sorceress. Don't get too caught up in old stuff."

"I know, I know... But I can't help it. I've never been outside the town before."

"Really? Why's that?"

"It would be far too dangerous for me to go out alone. Hydeland is home to many marvels and wonder but there are even more dangers, that's why I was seeking acceptance in the adventurer's guild. With their help I could go all over the kingdom while improving my magic."

' _Many things lie within the ruins of the old Elician temple,'_ the narrator spontaneously made himself apparent, speaking down to the duo which gave them a fright _'some quiescent, some far less so.'_

The Player was impatiently tapping his foot, showing that he didn't appreciate the scare. "Can't you give us a little warning before you make that voice of yours apparent?" He asked looking above to absolutely nothing.

' _An ancient dragon spoken of in myths is said to have destroyed the Elician civilization in one night.'_ He continued on, pretending the two hadn't acknowledge him. He then went quiet again.

"Sure. Ignore me. Why not? What a dick." Not paying attention to where he was going, distracted by the narrator's narration, the Player trips over a small cage and falls onto the ground. "Ah! What the hell?"

The Sorceress heard his cry and turned to see him lying on the ground. "Aren't we clumsy?" She teased him.

"I was distracted by the VO and tripped over this cage thing." Getting a closer look of the cage the Player managed to identify a living creature inside, a small being that was desperately trying to escape from its prison. "...Wait a second. A fairy?" He asked himself while inching closer to the cage.

The fairy noticed him and began to panic even more, she was obviously frightened and was under the impression both guild trainees meant her harm. She had her back against the opposite end of the cage with her eyes closed, bracing herself for whatever ill-intentions they may have had.

"What's going on?" The Sorceress asked as she approached, now seeing the cage the Player was talking about.

"This fairy. She's trapped in here. I didn't know fairies existed."

"Of course they exist. You really are helpless. Stand back. I shall free the poor dear." The Sorceress, using her Light Staff, began ruthlessly poking at the cage. The small fairy held onto the metal bars for dear life as she was shaken like an earthquake.

"Sorceress...? Hey, Sorceress. Sorceress! SORCERESS!" The Player quickly backed her away from the cage.

The fairy inside sat on the metal floor, dazed from the restless stick pokes the Sorceress delivered.

"Why'd you stop me? Just a little more and the poor thing would've been freed."

"There's a door on cage, you maniac. What was thrashing away at it going to do but scare her more?"

"Free her." The Sorceress answered innocently, seeing no fault in her method of liberation.

The Player shook his head and turned his attention to the cage. He stuck his finger through the small circular hole at the top and raised it off the ground, with his other hand he opened the cage's door.

The fairy shook herself out of her daze and realized what was happening. Still frightened, she backed away to the opposite side of the cage once more.

"Don't be afraid." The Player spoke in a calm voice. "You're free now."

After he sat the cage back on the ground the fairy slowly stepped out. Her fear seemed to slowly fade as she saw the duo meant her no harm. Without saying anything she flew off into an unknown part of the ruins, most likely to find her friends and family.

"I wonder how she got trapped in there." He pondered to himself with his arms folded.

The Sorceress couldn't help but acknowledge his act of selflessness to the scared fairy and smiled. "That was nice of you. I guess you're not as big a jerk I thought you were."

"Huh? Oh, thanks monster tits."

The red anger vein appeared on the Sorceress's head once again. A loud 'WHACK' could be heard through a flash of light and the Player is shown lying on the ground, obviously in pain, after receiving a hit from the busty witch.

"I was being nice!" She scolded.

'… _You liberated a fairy that was trapped in a cage.'_

"OH, COME ON!" The Player shouted at the sky.

* * *

After freeing the fairy from her prison the Player and Sorceress continued through the temple ruins. After a lengthy search the duo came across a room filled with slain orcs and goblins.

"What the hell happened in here?" The Player was unsure what could've caused such a high body count of ruthless brutes but he sure hoped whatever caused it wasn't their enemy.

Another body flies from out of nowhere and hits the concrete stairs. The Player and Sorceress turn to where the body was thrown and found a shirtless, muscular barbarian.

"Who goes there?" The man asked, raising his sword to the two in self-defense, unsure if they were friend or foes.

The Player quickly retreated behind the Sorceress, cowering from the man's intimidating stature. "We're not a threat! We're here to…uh, find a guy named Roland." The intimidated traveler explained from behind his female partner who didn't seem threatened by the warrior's appearance.

The man lowered his weapon and placed it back within the sheath on the side of his hip. "Ah. I see, you must be with the adventurer's guild."

"Yes. How'd you know that?" The Player asked.

"I, too, am with the adventurer's guild. The man you seek is none other than I. I am the warrior, Roland."

Feeling relieved to know he was on their side the Player came from behind the Sorceress, acting casual like he was never cowering in the first place.

"I had a feeling you were the guy. Right, Sorceress?"

The Sorceress was hypnotized by Roland's build. His strong facial features were reflected in her shimmering eyes, her cheeks were as red as roses and a trail of drool was slowly running down the side of her mouth. She continued admiring Roland's body rather than paying the Player any mind.

"So, you'll come back with us, right?" The Player asked after failing to realize the Sorceress was under a trance.

"I can't return to the guild. I'm looking for a few adventurers' that went missing in the ruins." Roland explained.

"Damn." The Player snapped his fingers. "But Samuel said in order for us to pass our test we needed to assist you."

"Samuel set you up to the task? Hm... Very well, for you to pass your test I need you to go search the ruins submerged in water. Much time has passed since those adventurers went missing. Bring back their bones if you find them dead."

A loud gulp could be heard from the Player, things were beginning to sound risky. He raised a nervous finger to the barbarian "But…what about you?"

"More foes similar to the ones before you will be coming soon. I'll hold them off to prevent them from getting in your way so you shouldn't be facing any real danger deeper into the ruins."

Knowing Roland would be the one holding off any danger that may come after them caused a sudden calm to soothe the Player. He nods at the older male and turned to his companion. "Sorceress, we don't have time to waste. Let's find the adventurers right away." He jumped over the bulky bodies of the defeated orcs and ran deeper into the ruins.

"Right…" The Sorceress whispered dreamily as she walked pass Roland, her eyes couldn't leave his frame. Before she followed after the Player she stopped and gave a flirtatious look. "So, are you single?"

"Not interested." Roland quickly dismissed her.

The Sorceress felt a heavy weight fall upon her shoulders and she nearly turned to stone at her immediate rejection. Defeated, she slowly traversed up the stone stairs in a slightly depressed fashion. "I'm going to be single forever…" She muttered with comically fit waterfall tears.

The moment the Sorceress left Roland reached into his pocket and took out a small heart-shaped locket. He opened the small charm and focused his gaze on the image inside. "…One day. One day." He spoke quietly as he placed a finger on the photo inside and slowly trailed it down to the bottom.

Inside contained a small portrait of a nude Samuel Joseph from the hip up, covered in rose petals, to prevent any real obscene imagery.

* * *

The Player and Sorceress ventured deeper into the ruins and despite Roland holding off the dangerous foes the duo found themselves up against hidden traps consisting of pike pillars rising from the stone ground, wooden floor switches that, when touched, sent a flurry of arrows at the unsuspecting victims who didn't realize they were activating the deadly trap.

They also had to fight against wild animals that were natural residents of the ruins such as venomous snakes, behemoth spiders and hostile bats. The inexperienced party narrowly escaped death more than half a dozen times during their search and still no sight of any adventurers.

The pair reach a small underground cave that was free of enemies which allowed them time to catch their breath and rest before going any further. The Player sat on the stone floor and the Sorceress sat not too far from his location.

"Jeez…" With a sigh the Player finally managed to catch his breath. "I've never seen spiders that huge before, my god. That was a nightmare. I don't think I ever ran that fast in my life."

"Neither have I…" The Sorceress added. "I think my heart is going to rip through my chest."

His eyes glanced over to the Sorceress's bust at the mention of 'chest'. He couldn't help but notice as she was breathing heavily. "So, like, how do you run with those things? Don't they get in the way? Even though we were running for our lives I was laughing a bit when I saw them fighting against you."

The Sorceress looked at him with a minor blush, she placed her arm around her bust in an attempt to conceal them but she was simply too large. "Shut up! That's not something you're just supposed to say to a lady." She continued trying to find better ways to cover herself.

"Pfft. You can't hide those things." He teased. "You're going to need ten arms to keep those down."

The Sorceress lowered her head, having her hat conceal her eyes. "Stop making fun of me. You think I enjoy this? I hate being this way."

"Hate?" He asked out of curiosity.

The Player could feel the atmosphere between them changing. What was meant to be playful teasing actually turned out to be a more touchy topic for the Sorceress herself and she genuinely didn't appreciate his taunts due to apparent self-esteem issues regarding her body.

"Of course. You think that's funny? Being so…so…'big'? All people ever do is make fun of me. I try not to let it get to me but after a while, after so many times, it just does and you're no different. I hate feeling deformed or as you say 'Monster Boobs'. The merciless teasing, everywhere I go, just makes me start believing it."

Seeing that she was being serious he quickly cut all of his playful teasing aside and didn't respond to have her talk out the situation.

"Do you have any idea what that feels like?" She asked.

Once she was done the Player scoots his way across the ground to get closer, and once he was beside her he placed a hand on her shoulder.

Feeling his hand made her raise her head and turn to the side where she saw his hand.

"Nope. I don't know what that's like, sorry." He answered rather straightforwardly.

The Sorceress lowered her head once more and sighs. She was under the impression he was still trying to be funny and was really beginning to dislike him and his company. It was a rather sensitive subject for her and she just remained quiet to just drop the topic.

"But so what?" He added, revealing he had more to say. "I don't have to be in your shoes to know that it's not important. So you're really endowed in the chest, so what? Take pride. Nobody is born to be the same or labeled, you're not a monster or anything like that and I should know because Hydeland, apparently, has spiders the size of a goddamn puppy. We can't go through life without hearing bad things about ourselves. It'll hurt, yes, but that's why we look for people who will accept us for who we are. I wasn't trying to be spiteful or cruel but I understand if it might've looked that way, and for that I sincerely apologize, I would never say that to hurt you. I'd hate to ask this but why let random people make you feel like you're any less of a person when you're more than that to your friends?"

The Sorceress remained silent. She wasn't anticipating his speech and thus left her unsure of how to respond but nevertheless she was taken aback by his words, despite this she found herself back in a doubtful state of mind. "…But I don't have any-"

"Nope! Don't give me that." He stopped her in the middle of her sentence with a roll of his eyes.

"Wha-" She looked up to him with a confused look only to be playfully booped on the forehead by the back of his hand. She gently flinched at his actions but opened her eyes to reveal how beautifully swollen they had become.

He looks at her with a dull expression. "We ARE friends, you fool. I wouldn't be here spouting this sappy love and tolerance nonsense if we weren't. You're a grown woman so don't act like you don't know." With a reassuring smile he looks out to ruins before them.

The Sorceress noticed he was distracted and followed his gaze, her eyes were graced with the beauty of nature that surrounded them. In the distance the underground waterfall's complimented the flourishing greenery around the area, sunlight shined through the holes in the rock ceiling above, producing rainbow colored light to emit in various locations around them. The sight caused the Sorceress to smile whimsically, that newborn feeling of hate quickly diminished as she had come to cherish his words after realizing how he actually felt.

"You're…strange." She laughed softly, now getting up to her feet and dusting the dirt off the back of her clothes. "We've got adventurers to find." She began to lead the way once again, her head held high and a bright smile to go with her newfound determination.

The Player noticed her change in personality and simply followed after with a smile of his own. Their quest continued.

* * *

Farther into the old ruins the duo discovered a small chamber with a mural displayed on a nearby wall. From the ceiling a ray of light shined down to the chamber floor where it revealed a pair of bones in the middle of the room.

"Oh no. No, no, this can't be." The Sorceress rushed to the bones after noticing they appeared human. The bones most likely belong to one of the adventurers Roland mentioned. "We're too late. We didn't get here in time... In hindsight we shouldn't have taken so much time having that heart-to-heart moment back there."

"Yo, Sorceress, forget the bones! Look what I found!" The Player had found a large treasure chest occupying the other side of the room.

The Sorceress sees this but she was more worried about the bones she found. "A chest? We're not here for that. I found some bones, they most likely belong to one of the adventurers Roland told us about."

"So? I've found treasure. REAL treasure, Sorceress!" The Player threw himself onto the chest as if hugging it out of greed. "With this I probably wouldn't even need to join the guild. This thing must be full of gold!"

The Sorceress rolled her eyes and noticed a keyhole on the front of the chest. "Good luck opening it without a key." She said while pointing to the center.

The Player got up and saw the keyhole, he then realized his excitement overshadowed the lock. His joy slowly turned to fear but he remained hopeful, choosing to believe the chest was old and tinkering with the lock enough would just pop it open. Unfortunately for him, this wasn't the case, after many attempts the chest wouldn't open.

"Come on. Come on, open! Give me the treasure, you son of a bitch!"

"Player, relax, it's probably nothing."

"TREASUUUUUUUUUURE!" He helplessly cried out to the ceiling creating an overly dramatic scene for himself. He fell back over the top of the chest and hammered his fist against the box in defeat.

"Shall I unlock that chest for you?" An unfamiliar voice spoke from the shadows of the chamber.

The Sorceress turned to the voice and appearing before them was a young rogue in a green hooded cape, carrying a hefty white bag. He was younger than both the Player and Sorceress, physically appearing around his late teens.

"Who are you?" The Sorceress inquired, surprised to see that someone else made it this far into the temple.

"I'm the answer to your prayers." He answered with his thumb extended to his chest.

The Player raised a brow curiously as the statement was familiar. "Sooooo... What are you? Like a discount Peter Pan?" He was not interested in the boy or what he wanted, he was still bummed from being unable to open the chest.

"Peter Pan? No! I'm Rannie."

"Narrator, who is this kid and what does he want?"

The Player breaking out into chat with the ceiling caused a bit of concern for the boy. He remained silent for a moment before turning to the Sorceress. "Is he alright?" Rannie asked.

"Hush, Peter Pan!" The Player exclaimed. "…The voice speaks to me."

' _-The rogue Rannie inquired, after appearing out of nowhere. He thought that it would be a simple case to take advantage of your naiveté and pocket some coin.'_

"Oh! So you think you can take away my treasure, eh? Well you're not getting it!" He snuggled the chest with defensive intent.

The Sorceress shook her head at the Player and turned her attention back to Rannie. "Don't mind him. So, you're here to assist us for profit?"

"Yes. You see, I have a special key that can unlock any door or keyhole. My services could be quite useful to a pair of adventurers such as you."

"Oh, so you have a keyblade?" The Player asked suddenly interested in Rannie's offer.

"A key- what now?" Rannie questioned looking puzzled.

"Never mind. Thanks but no thanks. We can take care of ourselves."

"Hold on, Player. If he can open any door he might come in handy, don't you think?"

"You're a sorceress, Sorceress." The Player pointed to her while explaining. "Why not just use your magic to open any locks or doors we may come across?"

"Oh. Wow, ok...that's actually a good point." She replied. "But we could still make use of him. He has a pretty nice sac."

The way that was phrased caused the Player to give her a silent glare of disapproval.

She noticed his look of unease and tilts her head at him. "What? The sac he's carrying over his shoulder."

He glanced over to Rannie and noticed that he carrying a large white sac that could easily fit a number of things inside. Perfectly fit for collecting on the go.

"Oooooh! That's what you meant."

"Yes. What else would I mean?"

"Uuuuh... Nothing! Nothing at all." The Player quickly dismissed the topic and got back to more important matters. "So what'd you have in mind, Sorceress?"

She pointed to the pile of bones in the center of the room. "Put those bones in your bag and carry them for us. They're too much for us to take ourselves. That bag of yours could come in handy."

"Yes ma'am." Rannie scampered over to the bones and placed them all into the bag. After he was done he threw the bag over his shoulder. "And you also wanted the chest open, correct? Don't worry. I've got it!" He then approached the chest, taking out his special skeleton key which he used to unlock the chest. The lock popped open and the chest opened instantly. "Simple."

The Player gasped loudly and shoved Rannie aside. "TREASURE! And it's all mine! …What the-"

Sitting at the bottom of the empty chest was a crossbow that was somehow loaded with ten arrows.

"What's the matter?" The Sorceress asked.

The Player took out the crossbow and held it in his hands. "What the hell is this? This isn't treasure. Who puts junk in a treasure chest? That's false advertisement if I ever saw it."

"That chest wasn't yours to begin with." Rannie spoke.

The Player faced the boy and aimed the crossbow at him as a threat. Rannie turned the other way, humming in a mild sweat, pretending he hadn't said anything resulting in the Player lowering the crossbow.

The Sorceress was unfamiliar with firearms, this being the first time she's ever actually saw one. "What is it?" She asked in interest.

"It's a weapon." The Player answered. "It's really powerful, especially against living things."

"That could be useful. Since you don't have one and all." She stated cheerfully.

"Yeah…but it's still not treasure."

The Player wasn't too interested in the crossbow but he took it with him regardless, he went ahead and passed through the next corridor. Rannie and the Sorceress shrug to each other and followed behind the sulking traveler.

* * *

The group made their way through the caverns and found the ruins that were submerged in water. Luckily the water was only knee-deep.

The more they traveled the more the once thriving ancient city became apparent around them. The trio soon discovered a large nest at the end of the waterway, inside a bunch of human skulls were identified.

"…We're too late." The Sorceress lamented as she sees all the bones scattered throughout the nest.

The Player got onto one knee for further inspection. "These bones are all picked dry. Man…I'd hate to come across whatever did this. We should gather these bones too. No doubt in my mind they belong to more adventurers."

The Sorceress nods and turned to Rannie. "Do your stuff, kid."

Rannie made hast, jumping into the large nest and began rummaging through the large sticks. He noticed a few eggs were lying among the human skeletons. Before he could touch any of the bones a loud thud shook the ground before him.

He looks up to the sight of a large harpy, a rapacious monster that had the head and body of a woman while the rest was that of a bird's, containing wings and vicious talons. The harpy's keen eyes were heavily focused on Rannie who was frozen in fear.

Rannie opened his mouth to speak. "…Um-"

The harpy's immediate response was a vicious roar.

The rogue jumped out of the nest and ran for cover. "Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope!" He yelled out while running past the Player and Sorceress.

The harpy expanded her wings and stood before the remaining two, towering over them in massive size.

"Our problem just got a lot…bigger." The Sorceress stated as she took multiple steps back.

The Player sighs at the Sorceress and her observation. He turned to her with a half-lidded glance. "Really?" He asked stoically.

The harpy screeched at the two, flapping her wings to cause vicious winds to blow about the area. The powerful gusts nearly swept the two off their feet but they managed to hold their ground, only sliding back a few feet. The Sorceress managed to gather enough strength to fight against the winds allowing her to hold the Light Staff out toward the harpy, where she then proceeded to cast an ice based spell that sent a barrage of ice shards toward the harpy. The shards of ice struck the mythical beast's left wing, the harpy cried out in pain once impact was made. The ice had a desirable side effect as her wing started to freeze over, disabling the harpy from flapping her wings to cause threatening winds.

The Sorceress foolishly turned her back and celebrated with a cute dance. "Yes! I did it! Go Sorceress! Go Sorceress! Go Sorceress!"

The harpy raised one of her talons to claw at the ice, and while it chipped off a few chunks the process was taking far too long. Not wanting to wait any longer the harpy raised her frozen wing and slammed it into a stone wall where the ice shattered. The Sorceress was too busy celebrating to realize what was going on behind her.

"Behind you!" The Player shouted in a panic.

The Sorceress heard him and looked over her shoulder to see the harpy's unfrozen wing sweeping up the ground in her direction. It was too late for the Sorceress to react so she took the wing attack and was sent flying across the battlefield, she then took a dive in the waterway they arrived in.

The Player watched her soar but faced their attacker before she caught him off guard. He took aim with the crossbow and was ready to fire upon the harpy.

"I do so relish these times of peril."

He pulled on the trigger and fired the first shot at the harpy however she was able to react in an instant, spreading her wings and taking flight high above him.

"Aw, goddamn it!" The Player stomped his foot in minor annoyance and fired a barrage of arrows in a desperate attempt to hit his target. The harpy was able to swiftly dodge every single one. The harpy flew even higher to the sky while the Player had one arrow left. "Damn it, she's too fast! I can't get a lock…wait, maybe I should aim where she's going to be. Should've thought of that before wasting so much ammo."

With his new strategy in mind he took a deep breath and calmed himself as he needed absolute concentration. The Player carefully studied her flight patterns and was becoming familiar with her movement. A single trail of sweat slowly scaled the side of his face, his finger began to apply pressure to the trigger.

"…There."

Just as he pulled the trigger the harpy flew up toward the sun which she used to briefly blind the Player. The sun flashing him got in the way at the very last second forcing him to look away just as he took the shot resulting in a misfire.

"Ah! The sun! My arch-nemesis!"

The harpy dive bombed from the sky and snatched the Player up in her left claw.

The Sorceress finally got out of the water, ready for round 2. "Ok! I'm back and I'm going to-!" She was cut short because she was also snatched up by the harpy but in the opposite claw. "Curses! You didn't even give me a chance to finish my sentence!"

With both the Player and Sorceress captured there was nothing that could be done against the harpy. There was Rannie but he wasn't a fighter.

The Player tried forcing his way to freedom but the harpy's death grip was far too strong, she made it worse by applying a painful squeeze to her victims.

"I can't die here!" The Sorceress cried out. "I was single my entire life!"

"My only regret is that I'm dying." The Player closed his eyes in defeat.

Just before the harpy could deal the killing blow a shadowy figure descended from the struck the harpy's back with it a lethal blow using a giant axe.

The killer hybrid let out an agonizing cry and her talons flung open, freeing the two rookies. The Player hit the ground first with the Sorceress landing on top of him. The harpy also fell out of the sky and landed on her backside.

"The paaaaaaain..." The Player wearily spoke from underneath the dazed Sorceress.

"That was a close call. Good thing I got here just in time." An unfamiliar rough voice spoke to the two.

The Player got up to his hands and knees, making the Sorceress roll off of him, to find that the same white haired woman from the guild standing before them, however he didn't recognize her considering he never actually caught sight of her.

The muscular woman took her giant two-handed axe in one hand and swung it over her shoulder with ease. She was very lightly dressed…wearing only a bikini-like top and bottoms to cover the necessary regions, she also had a pair of combat gloves and boots, as well as a black warrior feather headpiece.

"So, you two made it this far? For beginners I have to say that I'm impressed. Not bad for a team of rookies." She complimented the team with a smile.

"...Are you the one who took that thing down?" The Player asked.

The woman answers with a single nod. "I've been watching you guys since you left the guild. We've been losing too many good people recently and I couldn't bear the thought of you two losing your lives when you're still so young."

After adjusting her hat the Sorceress got up and met with the eyes of her rescuer. She shows a grateful smile. "Thank you for saving us. We're forever in your debt." She goes on to bow respectfully.

"Aha! Speak for yourself. I'm good for one favor." The Player crossed his arms and looked in the opposite direction.

His actions only earned him a slap upon the head from the Sorceress which made him face her with a scowl.

"You should be more grateful! She saved you!"

"I had it under control!"

"Please, you barely had your bladder under control!"

"Like you barely having control over your bust?"

"You must really have a death wish!"

The bickering between the two only made the woman laugh.

As the two continued going back and forth Rannie suddenly appeared in between them. "Aaaw yeah! Teamwork makes the dream work!"

The Player and Sorceress visibly jolt from the rogue's reappearance and look at him with conflicted stares.

"R-Rannie?!" The Sorceress toward the youth in shock.

"We really showed that harpy what for. Right, team?" He joyfully held his hand up in the air, prompting either the Player or Sorceress to meet him halfway.

The only reply to that was a painful kick between his legs from the Player. Rannie's hands instantly cradled his groin as he slowly fell over shrieking in a high pitch tone, stiff as a board.

"One clean shot to the sac. That'll teach you for leaving us at death's door." The Player calmly stated as he watched Rannie fall.

The Sorceress smirked at the two boys but promptly turned her attention back to the muscular woman. "I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm the Sorceress." Her words seem to catch the attention of the others who look to their rescuer.

"I'm the Player, nice to meet you."

"Rannie the rogue…" The boy was barely audible when introducing himself.

The woman was sure to memorize their names and faces. She didn't know why but there was something about the team she found appealing. "Hello. I'm the Amazon."

The Player held up his index finger and opened his mouth, ready to comment, but before he could speak the Sorceress quickly placed her hand over his mouth, knowing he was bound to say something stupid even if it wasn't intentional.

"It's really nice to meet you, Amazon." The Sorceress replied for him.

The Amazon smiles at the group before looking back to the harpy. "Come on, we should go. It won't be long before the harpy wakes up."

"Wake up?" The Player was rather puzzled by her words. "But didn't you kill her?"

"Nah. It wouldn't be right for me to kill her considering the circumstances. There are more nests similar to this one spread throughout the area. It'd be wise not to attract the attention of any more harpies. Let's get moving." She made her way for the exit, the same way they came in.

The Player turned to the Sorceress and shrugged before picking up one of Rannie's legs to drag him along.

Before the Sorceress followed after them she heard what appeared to be chirping. Curiousity lead her to one of the nests where she sees three hatchlings nestling inside the safety of their home.

It was here the Sorceress realized the reason behind the Amazon's non-fatal methods which caused her to smile warmly. She leaves the area before long to catch up with the party.

The group retraced their steps and exited the ruins by using the gate they used to arrive to return home.

* * *

 **~ The Adventurers Guild ~**  
 **Main Guild Hall**

Samuel, who was still standing as the tallest individual in the guild, greeted the group at the entrance.

"Hm! You're back!"

The Player held his hands behind his head, feeling a bit full of himself, what with returning somewhat unharmed and all. "Was there ever any doubt? That was almost too easy."

"Almost 'too easy' he says…funny guy." Rannie whispered to the Sorceress.

"He's a fool." She replied.

Seeing that they were standing right beside him the Player just looks at them with his arms crossed. "You know I can hear you, right?"

"They passed with flying colors, Joseph. Not bad for a team of newcomers. With the right training they could become fierce warriors." The Amazon spoke for the group, vouching for Roland who stayed behind in the ruins.

Samuel gave a good look at the Player and Sorceress, hearing good things about them from one of the guilds finest was promising, not to mention surviving in a area not many return from.

The master smiled and nods. "Excellent. You've proven yourselves worthy and have completed your task. Welcome to the guild, brave adventurers. Here is your pay." He held out a small pouch out to the Player. "1000 gold. Spend it wisely."

The Player's jaw dropped, almost speechless at the pay, "1000 gold? I never got paid that much on the first day of work before! Yes! With this I can-"

"'WE'" The Sorceress corrected him.

"….Fine. 'We' can live off for this for the next month!"

The Sorceress took the pouch out of his hand to take her share of the gold. "500 for me and 500 for you." She tossed the pouch back to him.

"Oh, right. I just remembered." The Amazon spoke to the group. "Didn't you collect a few bones back in the ruins?"

The Player and Sorceress turned to Rannie since he was the one who took them.

"Yes. I still have them in my bag." The rogue answered answered.

"Did you know it's possible to resurrect the dead with their bones?" The Amazon asked.

"You can?" The Player was rather surprised. He had never heard of such an act, especially not in his homeland.

"I've heard about that before," The Sorceress joined in "but I never believed it to be true."

The Amazon handed the Player a map of the town. "Here. Go visit Canaan Temple. It's just Northwest of here. Take the bones to the temple monk and he should handle the rest."

He took the town map from the Amazon and saw the temple already marked. "What is this some kind of tutorial? Fine, we're on it." He gestured the others to follow him as he knew the way.

The gang left the guild and made their way over to the temple. It was only a brief stroll through town, thanks to the map they quickly found their way and went inside.

"You seem to be in need of help." A kindly voice echoed from the back.

The Player noticed an elderly man in robes approaching them. "Hey, sorry for just barging in but we came to see the temple monk?"

"That would be me, young travelers. How may I help you?"

"We have a companion we'd like to revive." The Sorceress said. She placed her hand upon Rannie's back to move him forward.

"Hey!" Rannie looked back at the Sorceress before he faced the old monk. "Uum...y-yes, I have the bones in my bag."

The monk took the sac from Rannie and made his way over to the temple alter. He took the bones out of the bag and laid them out accordingly. "The prayer of the monks restores the dead to life. The Goddess bestows mercy to those whose time has not yet come."

"If it wasn't their time why'd they die in the first place?" The Player asked. The Sorceress elbowed his side to shut him up. "Ack! What I say?"

The monk began the ritual, seemingly ignoring the Player's words. Once he was silenced they all watched to see the magic.

"Allow this heart to beat again. Quench their thirst. Lead the wandering soul back. Reverse death…and revive them!"

Descending from the heavens were five small angels; the first held an hour glass, the second held a potion, the third held a beating heart, the fourth held a small bird and the last blew a trumpet.

Heavenly light began to shine down upon the bones of the lost adventurer. The Player, Sorceress and Rannie were amazed by the sight.

A blinding light suddenly flashed so brightly the group was forced to shield their eyes.

Once the light faded and it was ok to look they were surprised to see a young elf lying before them. The three gasp in awe. Soon after being revived the young elf opened her eyes and turned over to see the Player, Sorceress, Rannie and monk.

Her eyes were stuck open when she realized she could see. She rose from the temple alter and began to touch her face and chest. She looked down, staring at her own hands. "I'm…alive?"

The Player and Sorceress ran over to the young elf with bright smiles. "THAT WAS SO COOL!" They both exclaimed causing the young elf to flinch.

"Who…are you people?"

"No need to be afraid, we won't hurt you. I'm the Sorceress. It's nice to meet you."

The Player bumped his hip against the Sorceress, scooting her over. "Hey, I'm the Player. It's not my real name but it's what I go by here. Let me guess…your name is probably 'Elf' right?"

"Y-Yes…how could you have possibly known that? Have we met?" The Elf was shocked that he knew her name though this was nothing new for him.

He casually shrugged while smiling. "Lucky guess." He insists.

"I-I see. It's nice to meet you all but how did I end up here?" The Elf looks down to her palms as she tried to recall the past. "I remember exploring some ruins and afterward I was attacked by this vicious bird monster. After that I..."

The monk approached to stop her from mentioning her fate, it was best she didn't recall her death. "These brave travelers have ventured out to the ruins and found your bones. They were kind enough to bring them back and revive you."

"…Really?"

The Player nods. "We didn't really know about it until we were told to come visit this place by a friend of ours. Once we did we got you here as soon as we could. The process didn't disappoint. It was pretty epic."

The Elf's eyes filled with water and she leaped forward, hugging the Player tightly. "Thank you…I could clearly remember that dark and cold place I was falling in. I was starting to forget who I was, my friends and family. I was terrified."

Hearing her worries the Player calmly proceeded to pat her on the back for comfort. "There, there. You're safe now." He says with a smile.

She released him from her embrace and wiped her eyes dry. "Player, Sorceress I'm forever in your debt. I pledge my allegiance to you. Consider me a loyal ally."

"We appreciate it but you don't have to do that for us." The Sorceress scratched the back of her head sheepishly.

"Yeah, we were just glad to help." The Player added.

"You don't trust me?" She asked.

The Sorceress held her hands out defensively and shook them. "No, no! It's not that…we just don't want to get you into any more danger. Besides I'm sure your family must be worried sick about you. You should go see them and let them know you're ok. Right, Player?"

"Yeah, of course."

The Elf began to pout adorably. Seeing this broke the Player and Sorceress' hearts finding themselves victims to her unintentional adorableness. The Player clenched his chest and fell to his knees, the Sorceress sat on the alter stairs and fanned herself using her hat.

"Damn it…how could I ever say no to a face like that?" Je asked himself weakly.

"She's so cute. It would be monstrous for us to leave her behind." The Sorceress did the same.

Rannie shook his head at the two. "You guys are pathetic." He truly believed all this was unnecessary and that they were overreacting.

The Elf turned her swollen eyes to Rannie. He noticed her look and gazed deep within her large puppy-dog eyes that shimmered innocently and got deeper the more he looked.

The rogue suddenly found himself lying on his back in a weakened state similar to the Player and Sorceress.

"GYAH! My heart….!" He cried out weakly.

The monk stood over the trio, worried about their condition. "Oh my. I hope we won't have to prepare a ritual for these young people."

The Elf giggled gleefully.

And so marked the end of a perilous journey for the Player and SOrceress. Their day was full of adventure and danger. With a new friend and ally in the Elf a world of possibilities was opened to them.

The adventure has just begun.


	2. Into the Labyrinth

After partaking in a successful resurrection ritual at Canaan Temple the four adventurers make their way down the small street back to the Town Inn.

"I don't know about you guys but I could go for a drink." The Player lead the group while repeatedly tossing his money pouch up in the air.

Rannie perked his head up showing interest. "Are the drinks on you?" He asked with excitement in his tone.

The Player turned to Rannie with a quizzical expression. "I didn't say all that. Are you even old enough to drink?"

"Who cares?" Rannie shrugged. "This is the medieval era. Here it's 'drink up, be merry' so age is never an issue."

The Sorceress and Elf were seen giggling to one another as they listened to boys talk, the girls seemed to have already become friends.

In no time at all the group made their way to the Inn, ready to drink in celebration for a quest completed.

Before they entered a golden orb appeared before them. The orb bursts into gold sparkles, revealing a familiar fairy who circles around the Player's head. She seemed excited to see him.

"Whoa, a fairy!" The Player was surprised by her sudden appearance.

"How peculiar…" The Elf observed. "What's a fairy doing here?"

The Player held out his finger, allowing the fairy to land on the tip. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"Fairies are native to the Great Forest. It's their hom and they live away from humans, peacefully keeping to their own, so why would one be here of all places?"

Taking a closer look the Sorceress finally came to recognize the fairy. "Hold on. Isn't that the same fairy you set free in the temple ruins?"

"Is it?" He took another gander at the fairy.

The fairy nods her head and playfully twirled before him, gold sparkles constantly emitting from her small frame.

Now it finally hit him and he snapped the opposite fingers before pointing to the friendly fairy. "Wait a second! Aren't you the fairy I freed back in the temple ruins?"

There was a brief moment of silence before the Sorceress face palmed herself. "Didn't I just say that?" She sighed heavily while shaking her head.

The fairy nods at the Player and he smiles, happy to see she was ok. "It's great to see you again. How've you been? Did you find your friends?"

The fairy couldn't talk but she did understand the human language. The fairy flew around the Player, Sorceress, Elf and Rannie before flying back in front of them all, talking via body language.

"What's she saying?" Rannie asked.

The Player folds his arms while examining her gestures, he couldn't seem to figure out what she was trying to say.

The Sorceress had no luck as well. Both came up short in understanding the little fairy and shrugged her shoulders once the boys turned to her in case she had an answer.

"She wants us to follow her." The Elf answered.

The fairy flew over to the Elf and nods frantically. The group turned to the Elf, puzzled by her ability to communicate with the fairy.

"You can understand her?" The Player asked for clarification, unsure if she just made a lucky guess.

"Uuuh, yes?" She answered again but this time sounding a bit nervous.

"...That's so cool!" the Player, Sorceress and Rannie excitingly stated before her.

The Elf was shocked at their reaction and blushed lightly with a faint smile.

The fairy began pointing in the direction opposite the Inn, prompting the group to follow the road, which they did.

* * *

The fairy guides them just pass Morgan's Magic Item Shop where they find a spiraling staircase leading to an old tower. The door to the tower was already open and the fairy signals for the group to follow only to discover a rundown and rather messy room.

"This place sure is filthy." Rannie comments as he stepped over books scattered across the room.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there were roaches about." The Player added to Rannie's claim.

A shiver crawled up the Sorceress's spine the moment she heard the word, "Roach?!" she jumped onto the Player's back, cowering while closely watching the floor for any possible pests that may crawl out.

The Player nearly lost his footing, having not anticipated her sudden actions. "A-Aye! What the heck are you doing?"

"I will not tolerate roaches! My feet won't touch the ground until we're outside."

"You have the ability to use powerful magic but you're afraid of bugs. Ha, big baby. Lucky for you your boobs make a good neck rest, otherwise I would've dropped you."

"Shut it." The Sorceress cutely pouts, her eyes still checking the floor for bugs.

' _The fairy leads you into an old, ivy-covered tower. You find yourself in a cluttered room that seems to be a laboratory.'_

The group's attention turned to the ceiling, the narrator's voice instantly got their attention.

"Oh right. I forgot you were still a thing." The Player dismissed the notion of being surprised by casually speaking with a look of boredom.

' _I'm trying to move us along. You have an issue with that?'_

"I never said I did. I just said I forgot you were still around. You just come and go whenever you feel like it."

The Elf was a bit lost. This was her first time ever coming across this unknown entity in the sky. "Um…what's going on?" She asks curiously.

' _Don't be alarmed, I'm just your narrator. I come to provide beneficial tips and help keep you informed on the story's progression.'_

"Oh. I see!" The Elf smiled. "That makes sense."

"It does?" The Player doubtfully questioned.

"It's nice to meet you and everything. I'm the Elf."

' _It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, little lady.'_

Rannie stood on the sideline watching his team members have conversation with the narrator but he was observing through the perspective of a normal guy, causing him to realize how ridiculous they looked when actually acknowledging the narrator's presence.

"Can we just get on with it?!" The Sorceress asked frantically. "I don't want to be here any longer than I have to be!"

' _OH, yes, right…ahem! Judging by the stratification of dust, much time has passed since anyone last entered the room. Letters amidst the shambles indicate that a magician named Lucain lives here. You find a message he penned on the desk.'_

The Player's eye fell upon the nearby desk where he found the letter that was among the various books and writing quills. He took up the letter in one hand while using the other to help support the weight of the Sorceress who was still on his back. "…Says here that Lucain went to go visit another magician. Some guy named Wallace. He went to meet him in the underground labyrinth."

The fairy appeared before the Player once more, she was using body language again and performing various interpretive gestures in an attempt to communicate with him.

"What's that, girl? Did somebody fall down the well?" The Player asked in an attempt to figure out what she was saying.

She shakes her head and attempts more gestures.

Rannie stepped forward to pitch in. "No, no! She's saying there's somebody stuck in a tree." Unfortunately he was wrong too as she shook her head even more than before.

"She wants us to find Lucain." The Elf stated.

The fairy flies over to the Elf and nods her head while pointing at her to the boys. The Elf was right again.

"Damn. She's good." Rannie mumbled underneath his breath, almost as if he forgot the Elf could understand the fairy.

The Player was a bit uncertain since they had just gotten back from a dangerous task only an hour ago, to venture out again so soon made him a bit unsure. "I don't know…we just got back from a quest. Going into some labyrinths so soon doesn't seem wise."

The fairy flew up to his face and began to plead. His eyes met with hers, they shimmered innocently at him causing the Player's expression to soften the longer he looks at her. He turned away and grunts regrettably.

"…What kind of monster would I be if I said no?" He then turned to Rannie and the Elf. "What do you think guys?"

The Elf held her right hand over her chest. "Wherever you go then I will follow." She loyally declared.

"I'm sure there's profit to be made." Rannie gave his answer with a look of greed.

"What about you?" He asked the Sorceress who was still cowering on his back.

"Look, I don't care. Can we just get the hell out of here?!" The environment nearly drove the Sorceress crazy.

The Player laughed at the former and faced the fairy. "Looks like we've got ourselves a job to do. Wait for us here, we'll be back once we find something."

The fairy happily dances around the party to show her gratitude for their brave deeds. The group bid farewell to her and made their way to the magical gate on the outskirts of town.

* * *

 **Party Update  
** Member Count(+2): 4

Player  
Role: Leader  
Weapon: None  
Skills: Unknown  
Info: A strategist who remains neutral in all fields. He keeps the team one step ahead of the enemy using a keen eye.

Sorceress  
Role: Defensive Support  
Weapon: Light Staff (Ice)  
Skills: Levitation/Rock Press  
Info: A witch who controls magical forces at her whim. She has high magic defense and good support magic.

Elf **(Added!)**  
Role: Range  
Weapon: None  
Skills: Holdout Dagger/Backstab  
Info: A master archer who moves swiftly. She is a well-rounded member.

Rannie **(Added!)**  
Role: Looter  
Weapon: None  
Skills: Master of Unlocking  
Info: He is powerless in battle, but he is highly skilled at picking locks.

* * *

 **~ Wallace's Underground Labyrinth ~**  
 **Entrance**

After the party made the leap of faith into the portal in town they were sent flying out of a new portal that came into being in a far-off location. They all made a rough crash landing once the diving trip was over, they were all scattered about on the ground.

"Ow!" The Player rubbed his sore backside once he was able to pick himself up from the ground. "Unnecessary roughness, scumbag portal."

Rannie remained sitting on his rear, rubbing his aching head. "That really hurt. What gives?"

The Elf noticed the lack of a warp gate, not only that the portal they exited from suddenly vanished. "I think our landing was a result of the labyrinth." She said now facing her team. "It doesn't seem to have a warp gate."

The Player noticed this as well but felt it didn't justify their landing. "So it just dropped us off like rag dolls? We could've broken our necks… Oh well, we're all safe. Just a few scratches, right?"

"Indeed." The Sorceress replied, now standing on her two feet. She proceeded ahead to lead the group into the labyrinth. "Shall we?"

"And Ms. 'I'm afraid of roaches' is going to lead us?" The Player teased with a playful grin.

The Sorceress froze in her tracks and her body visibly shaken. She slowly looks back to him with an unnamused glare. "Bugs give me the creeps, ok? They're so nasty, creepy and- bleh!" She shivered, holding herself at the mere thought of it.

"You're such a girl sometimes." He continued to poke fun at her.

"Hey! What do you mean 'sometimes'?"

The Elf noticed a pile of bones over their exchange and passes by the bickering duo, kneeling down to humanoid remains. The young elf focused her mind on the once living adventurer who most likely saw an end before it was their time, a voice suddenly spoke to her as she closed her eyes; 'Shot…oh the irony.'

The Elf closed her eyes to perform a brief prayer for the deceased. Once she was done paying her respects she noticed a bow and arrow bag beside the bones and took them in her hands. She tied arrow bag around her waist and made adjustments to the bow until it was to her liking.

"Hey, Elf, whatcha doin' over here?" The Player placed his hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

"I wasn't done with you yet, jerk!" The Sorceress was seen in the background jumping up and down in a childish fit once the Player ignored her to check on the Elf.

Rannie, who was standing next to her, just watched her breasts bounce about with each movement she took, his head bobbing up and down following their movement.

"I was just giving a prayer to this unfortunate soul. This bow and these arrows may come in handy as well, I found them along with the bones. I think they belonged to the adventurer who died here."

"I see. Are you a skilled archer?"

"Um, I think I do ok."

Rannie approached the two. "You want me to pick up these bones?" He directed his question to the Player.

"Meh, nah. I don't think we should be messing with the natural order of life and death."

Out of nowhere a robbed skeleton wielding a scythe threw its hands up into the air. "THANK YOU!" It exclaimed before exiting the area. It's appearance was very brief and the party, somehow, didn't notice.

Rannie shrugged at his answer. "Fair enough but now I think we should focus on the mission at hand. What do we even know about this place?"

"That's what we have a narrator for." The player pointed to the ceiling.

' _This underground labyrinth is said to have been made in a single night with powerful magic. It is a dangerous place replete with traps. It bars entry to all who would dare.'_

The Sorceress cheerfully pounced over, clapping repeatedly like an amused child. "Magic! My specialty!"

"Yeah, uh huh. Maybe now you can be helpful." The Player gave her a sarcastic thumbs up.

Before the Sorceress could comment a mysterious man in a red robe appeared behind them. He was holding a magical scepter and appeared to be up in age. The man extended his hand up to the party just as the scepter began to emit a mystical glow.

"Lookout! The enemy!" The Sorceress shouted to alert her companions. The Player, Elf and Rannie all jumped as they realized how close the man was. "I'll stop him!"

The Sorceress held out her Light Staff and fired multiple ice projectiles at the man, striking him with a barrage of powerful ice magic. When stuck the elderly man cried out in pain.

Once defeated the Player inspected the stranger, relieved the Sorceress stopped him. "Wow…that was close. Thanks, Sorceress."

"Heh, that was all too easy." She proudly gloats.

Entering the room two more individuals who were dressed in the same attire as the man the Sorceress had just defeated. The two saw the group towering over the unconscious man and feared for the worse.

"Oh my word! They shot Alfred!" One of the robbed men shouted in a panic.

The Elf took out an arrow and was ready for combat. "They're here!" She alerted the group.

Rannie hid behind the Sorceress for protection and the Player pointed at the two standing before them. "Ha! Your evil deeds shall not go undone! This man attempted to assassinate us so we took care of him."

"What are you talking about?!" The second man questioned. "He was only coming to greet you in. We sensed your presence and were on our way to give you the tour!"

"….Wait what?" The four allies were rather lost after getting the explanation.

The second man rushed to his fallen friend and placed him on his back. "We hadn't had a visitor in ages. We turned this labyrinth into a place of wisdom, where those seeking magical guidance can learn all forms of mystic arts or learn new spells."

The Player, Elf and Rannie turned to the Sorceress who could only grin and bashfully shrug her shoulders in an apologetic gesture. Before the group knew it they were surrounded by an army of wood golems summoned by the wizards who appeared.

"You're enemies of our establishment. Take care of these intruders!" The two wizards flee deeper into the labyrinth to warn their comrades about the current situation.

The Player held out his hand to the fleeing men. "Wait! We were just- And they're gone…." He sighs and faced the Sorceress once more. "Nice move."

"Don't try and put the blame on me after you just praised me for it! I see the enemy, I deal with the enemy."

"But he wasn't an enemy. You shot Alfred!" The Player exclaimed.

The Elf turned to the Player and Sorceress, unable to believe they were bickering at such a dire time. "Guys…we kinda have more important things to worry about?"

The golems were closing in on the small circle the group was in. The group was now back to back against the golem horde.

"We're gonna diiiiiieeeee!" Rannie whines in despair.

The golems jump forward, charging in all at once toward the party.

The Sorceress raised her Light Staff and teleports the group out of harm's way which results in the golems colliding into each other. The Sorceress teleports to the side and recharges her energy.

"...What?" The Player looked around and saw the golems where they once stood. "Wait, how did we-?"

The Sorceress tapped his shoulder to get his attention. "It was me." She answered.

"You? Wait, you can teleport?"

The Sorceress nods, she felt refreshed as she completely recharged herself, ready for more spell casting. "Yes but it takes a lot of magic to perform. I've yet to truly perfect the technique but we're safe for now."

"That's so cool!" The Player, Elf and Rannie surrounded her with awe inspired stares. Their sudden praise enraptured the Sorceress who kept her hands on her cheeks to hide her blush.

The golems managed to recover from their injuries and get back up to their feet. The group saw this and Rannie ran off to safety.

"Looks like we still have things to take care of here." The Elf readied an arrow with her bow.

The Sorceress' Light Staff began emitting a frosty effect from its head as two circular orbs spiral around it as well.

There was no sight of any crossbows lying around for the Player to use however there was a torch on the wall which he took and held it at the ready.

"Let's try to get through this in one piece. I want that drink." He casually comments.

The Elf's eyes peered over to him and the Sorceress, "Be careful." she says to her friends before leading the charge to the enemy. The Elf's agility was a marvel to behold, in no time at all she was close and personal to the first golem she saw, but she seemed to have no intent on attacking, rather she chose to remain stationary.

The golem opened its arms and brought them in to try and catch her in a bear hug but she seemingly flickered out of existence much to the golem's surprise.

"I'm here!" The elven youth shouted from above.

The golem looks skyward only to have a large chunk of its head shatter into many pieces with an arrow landing in the ground by its feet, marking the defeat of the first golem who fell back shortly after most of its face was taken off.

The surrounding golems witnessed the rather gruesome headshot but before any of them could properly react the Elf landed on the shoulders of another golem with a dagger in hand, she swung the small weapon overhead and struck the golem in the in the center of its 'face'.

She quickly pulled the dagger out of the wooden fighter once she noticed two more golems were approaching from both sides.

"Jump!" The Sorceress called out from a distance.

Hearing her partner the Elf noticed she was preparing a spell. The Elf jumped from the golem's shoulders, causing the two that were rushing in earlier to tackle one another as they leapt through the air.

From above a large rock came down and crushed a large portion of the golem army, wood chips were sent flying everywhere once impact was made.

The Elf landed and was surprised by the nifty support the Sorceress provided and smiled. "Hey, thanks!" She waved.

The Sorceress winks at her but didn't allow their friendly exchange to distract her, she went back to putting focus on taking care of the oncoming horde. The Sorceress fired more ice projectiles at the approaching golems, freezing them over and trapping them in ice, though an effective tactic for a while more golems started to pile up. It became harder to hit more targets and soon they overcrowded her with overwhelming numbers.

Seeing their numbers grounding the witch took to the sky as the golems drew near, with the enemies gathered around she summoned more magic and launched a large chunk of ice down toward the wooden army, effectively crushing most of them.

The Sorceress managed to land safely but she was left defenseless from more incoming golems due to her frequent use of magic, being drained of mana made her feel exhausted. She laid against the wall in the narrow corridor, breaking out into a minor sweat.

Before the golems could get any closer the Player jumped in front of the Sorceress with his torch in hand, he held a bottle of fuel in his hand with some liquid running down the side of his mouth. He held the torch up in front of his mouth and spit out a hefty range of fuel which set the torch ablaze and scorched the entire platoon of golems that was on the verge of attacking the Sorceress with a flamethrower-esque technique.

The Sorceress was rathered amazed at his save. He wiped his mouth with his forearm and tossed the bottle aside.

"Bleh, kerosene." He muffled into his hoodies sleeve before turning to the Sorceress and helping her up. "You ok?"

"I'm fine, thank you." She couldn't help but give a smile of relief to her partner. "I'm just exhausted, using so much magic without replenishing takes a lot from my body so I get weak when under pressure."

More golems spawned around them, the seemingly endless army was relentless with numbers. On the other side of the hall the Elf saw them overcrowding her defenseless friends.

"Hold on guys!" She called out to them, still busy with her own problems.

The golems were getting more agile, jumping into the air and dive bombing toward the Elf. The first diving golem missed its mark and crashed into the floor, a second golem came diving in diagonally down toward the Elf who stepped to the side at the last second, the golems mighty crash caused field dust to rise up from the rather dirty floor, this was an attempt to blind the Elf allowing the golems to have an advantage.

From the other side of the the dust screen a third golem rushed in for a kick that split the dust clean in half, but the Elf was already anticipating a surprise attack and ducked underneath the golems kick, which managed to clear the dust in the air.

"I'll be there in a sec!" Despite her best attempts she was also outnumbered. A wood golem rushed her from behind and wrapped its arms around her torso to keep her still. "H-Hey, let go!"

The Player heard her shout and looks over to see the Elf in trouble, unfortunately he had to worry about his own. "Sorceress, not to rush but you need to recharge! Quick!"

The Sorceress was already trying to recharge but the pressure was making the process slower than usual.

As the Elf was held down by the golem restraining her another came charging from the front, it held out its sharp wooden claws with the intent of stabbing her. Just as it got within range the Elf picked both her feet up out her feet and kicked back against the frontal assaulting golem, she used this momentum to apply her weight on the staggering golem holding her which caused it to lose its balance and fall back. The Elf breaks free from her hold and, before they hit the ground, she managed to recover by flipping back onto her feet, landing her heels into the downed golems face which shattered.

The Elf reached for another arrow but was surprised to find she was down to her last one in comparison to the many golems that remained. She put her bow around her shoulder and withdrew her dagger, holding it in a tactical position.

With both the Sorceress and Elf exhausted and the Player out of options for combat the group had met their match. The golems slowly approached their targets and within seconds charge at them. The Player held out his arms in front of the Sorceress to protect her and closed his eyes.

"Descend from the heavens: Meteor Swarm!"

Suddenly a large ball of fire came crashing down from the sky, devastating the area and the golems with it. A blinding white light flashed followed by the thunderous sound of explosions going off. Another ball of fire descends and assists the Elf, cleaning up the area she was covering and destroying it just as the first fireball did. The final ball free falls from out of nowhere and finishes the golems in one final swoop, demolishing all in the area, another flash of white occurred this time lasting a bit longer than last but it cleared revealing the ruined corridor. Once it was safe to see again the Player opened his eyes to see the destruction.

"…Whoooa." He was nearly rendered speechless as he looked out to the chaos.

The Elf was just as shocked as the Player but didn't let that distract from her worries. She ran over to her friends to check on them. "Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah." The Player was first to answer. "But what about you?"

"I'm fine, don't worry about me. Sorceress, are okay?"

She didn't reply for a brief second but raised her head to meet with the faces of the Player and Elf. "Just a little winded but I'll manage…"

The Elf kneeled and helped the Sorceress up to her feet.

"The bigger question is…what the hell just happened?" The Player asked. "Did Rannie do it?" He looked around for the boy who had been missing since the fight began.

Rannie, who was hiding away in a nearby crate, popped his head out from safety. "Do what?"

"Just obliterate everything in the blink of an eye."

Rannie raised a brow but noticed the ruin that had befallen the halls. "Does it…look like I'm capable of doing something like this?" Rannie stepped out of the crate and dusts himself off.

"It was me." A masculine voice from the shadows spoke. Soon to reveal a man dressed in a black hooded cloak and white trousers tucked away inside his black boots. His hood covered his face from view as he approached the group. He held a staff almost identical to the one the Sorceress held.

"What, there's more?!" Rannie yelled out before diving back into the crate he just came out of.

The Elf quickly stood in front of the Player and Sorceress with her dagger in hand. The hooded man calmly placed his hand up to dismiss the fear of being a threat.

"Calm yourselves. I'm not here to cause you trouble. I was the one who saved you all."

The Player placed his hand on the Elf's shoulder to put her at ease. "Really? That was some serious badassery there man. You really saved our necks."

"Yes…but we don't know why you did." The Elf added as she lowered her dagger.

The man unhooded himself and revealed his face and long white hair to the party. "It's obvious you all mean no harm. The damage to Alfred was only minor. I've come to the labyrinth's to study powerful magic, and as you all witnessed my studies have paid off. I'm the Wizard." He tucked his hand into his pocket and took out three potions for the party. "Here, drink these. You'll get your strength back."

The Sorceress and Elf took their glass vile and saw it was a common potion. They removed the cork in the top and proceeded to drink up, the relief kicked in the moment they began to drink, in no time they were rejuvenated and good as new.

The Player took his vile next but didn't drink since he didn't use much too much stamina on the battlefield in comparison to his two companions.

"I'll save this for later. I didn't really work up much energy."

The Wizard nods in understanding. "Wise choice."

"Thank you for helping us. Sorry I suspected you for the enemy." The Elf smiled at him.

The Wizard snickered but smiled back. "You had every right too. You'll never know who may be a friend or foe. It's always best to be on your guard."

"Heh, right. I'm the Elf. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. These are my friends, the Player and Sorceress."

"W'sup." The Player nodded his head up.

The Sorceress only smiled back without saying a word, she seemed a bit distant.

"I'm Rannie!" The muffled voice of the rogue seeped out from the crate.

"I see. It's nice to meet you all. What brings you here?" The Wizard asked in interest. "Have you come to study magic?"

"Nah, we're here on request for a friend. She wanted us to find somebody named 'Lucain'. We gathered intel that said he was here so we thought we'd investigate but obviously our search isn't going too well." The Player stroked his chin using his index finger and thumb while trying to remember the details from the note back in town. "I think the letter said Lucain was coming to see someone named…Wallace?"

Suddenly a mouse entered the ruined room and crawled up the Player's body until it was on his shoulder. The Player briefly freaked out by the rodent's quick movement but noticed it was just an ordinary mouse, it wore a stylish blue hat of wizardry, decorated with symbols of the moon and stars. It held a small scepter in its hand as well.

The mouse jumped off of his shoulder and the Player caught the mouse in his hand.

"What the heck? …Mickey, is that you?" The Player asked as if he was familiar with the rodent who shook its head and began squeaking at him. The Player nods over and over as if getting all the information. "Mhm… Right. I see."

The Wizard took a step closer. "What's he saying?"

"I have no idea." The Player answered.

The mouse was so shocked by the Player's absurdity he dropped like a rock with his legs up in the air in a comical manner.

' _Out of the blue, a mouse darts out and leaps onto your palm. The rodent claims to be the apprentice of Wallace the Magician.'_

"Ooooh, he's an apprentice of Wallace." The Player gave a new answer to the Wizard who looked down and saw the mouse nodding in response.

The Wizard was amazed. "How did you know?"

The Player's eyes shift to the side as he held a charismatic smile. "I'll explain it later." Trying to explain the narrator's involvement was best left on hold.

' _He says he was tasked with caring for the laboratory while Wallace was gone, but it is beset by malevolent magic users.'_

"I see but what about Lucain? We're here to find him. We'll be on our way once got him."

' _The apprentice answers that his master's friend went into the labyrinth and hasn't returned.'_

"…And in order to find him I'm guessing we're going to need to go out into the labyrinth's filled with danger thus adding more on our to-do list."

"It couldn't hurt to help, right?" The Elf gave him a reassuring smile.

The Player exhaled and shrugged lightly. "I suppose."

' _Your quest to find Lucain is delayed as you attempt to liberate the lab for Rickey the magician's apprentice.'_

The Player crouched down and held his hand on the floor to let Rickey down. "We'll handle the labs." Rickey squeaks happily and runs off. The Player stood up and stretched, inhaling before promptly exhaling. "We ready to go?"

"I'm ready whenever you are." The Elf delightfully answered.

Rannie jumped out of the crate and waltzed over to the group. "As long as you guys handle all the fighting I'm always ready."

"It's probably dangerous for you all to go in there alone." The Wizard stepped forward. "You'll need someone with experience to help navigate you through the premises. I shall offer my aid."

The Player grinned at his offer, anything to make the task easier was much appreciated. "Alright, sounds good. Lead the way?"

The Wizard nods and lead the group down the hall and through the next door just down the corridor with the Elf and Rannie following him. The Player was ready but just as he took his first step the Sorceress grabbed onto his hoodie's sleeve, stopping him. He turned to see a troubled look on her face.

"…I'm sorry." She said shamefully.

"Sorry? Sorry for what?"

"…For being useless." She lowered her head, something that was becoming a bit normal for the Player, a trait he didn't seem to like.

"Useless? What are you-"

The grip she had on his sleeve tightened, the image of him defending her against the wood golems while she struggled with getting herself together under pressure kept replaying in her head. She was overcome by the feeling of guilt for what could've happened if they weren't saved. She was also troubled by not helping the Elf as well, who, despite having her hands full, did everything in her power to try and protect them both.

"Don't pretend like you didn't notice. You know full well what I'm talking about. I put you and the Elf in danger. I couldn't get my mind together, I couldn't focus, I couldn't…I couldn't…" She grits her teeth in frustration.

The Player completely turned to her and she lowered her hand from his sleeve. "You've got to stop doubting yourself." He says after sighing.

"…You both could've died because I couldn't-"

"But we didn't die. That the important thing." The Elf re-entered the room, surprising the Sorceress who couldn't seem to face her companions.

She lowered her hat over her eyes to conceal herself but as she does so the Player takes the hat off of her head so that she couldn't hide. With her only form of protection from them gone she looks up. "What're you doing? Give it back..." She jumped at him after he raised her hat high above his head. The Sorceress was greeted to smiling faces that didn't forsake or blame her for her inability to work under pressure. She stood before them, eyes pacing back and forth between the two.

"We're a team." The Player stated, twirling her hat around on his hand now that she wasn't trying to jump for it.

The Elf nods. "We're there for each other."

"...I-I wanted..." She began to choke over her words as she struggled to look them both in the eyes. "...I wanted…to do…something, anything, you both needed me and I couldn't do anything. You guys are making it sound as if it's easy, what do you do when you can't do nothing, but there's nothing you can do?" She asks them feeling that there was no solution to her question.

"You do what you can." They both answered.

The Player placed the hat back on her head as she stood in silence. "Besides," he went on to playfully ruffle the hat onto her head, "you did more than me. You teleported us away from danger. I'm still geeking out about that. You've got to do it again soon."

"And when you took out that entire group of golems with that rock you summoned? That was insane!" The Elf added joyfully. "I honestly wish I had the magic capabilities you have. I could be a real versatile marksman."

The Player moved his hand from the Sorceress' head to her shoulder. "Don't feel as if you have to carry us to victory. Just do what you can, even if it's small."

The Elf placed a reassuring hand on the opposite shoulder. "No matter what happens, we appreciate everything you do."

"You said you didn't have friends before you met us, so I understand. You don't know how to deal with what you think is failure. You might be scared that we'd turn on you or something…but get real!" He smacked her back with enough force to make her lightly jerk forward. He then gently pat her on the back. "We'd never do anything like that like." He laughed.

The Sorceress, having never been exposed to such an array of emotions all at once, drew a blank. This form of acceptance, kindness and compassion warped her mind beyond anything she could comprehend.

This warmth of encouragement opened new views for her causing a single tear to roll down her cheek before another came out of the other eye. Before she knew it they were flowing freely from her eyes as she giggled which then turned to laughter before finally turning into joyful crying. She sobbed happily as the guilt she once felt was now gone, her body and mind was free with her companions by her side.

At the door leading deeper into the underground labyrinth's Rannie and the Wizard watched in silence, both couldn't help but smile at their moment of warmth.

* * *

 **Party Update  
** Member Count(+1): 5

Player  
Role: Leader  
Weapon: None  
Skills: Unknown  
Info: A strategist who remains neutral in all fields. He keeps the team one step ahead of the enemy using a keen eye.

Sorceress  
Role: Defensive Support  
Weapon: Light Staff (Ice)  
Skills: Levitation/Rock Press/Teleport  
Info: A witch who controls magical forces at her whim. She has high magic defense and good support magic

Elf **(New!)**  
Role: Range  
Weapon: Short Bow **(Gained!)**  
Skills: Holdout Dagger/Backstab  
Info: A master archer who moves swiftly. She is a well-rounded member.

Rannie  
Role: Looter  
Weapon: None  
Skills: Master of Unlocking  
Info: He is powerless in battle, but he is highly skilled at picking locks.

Wizard **(Temporary!)**  
Role: Offensive Support  
Weapon: Light Rod (Fire)  
Skills: Mental Absorb/Concentrate/Magic Point Up/Meteor Swarm  
Info: A male magician who has mastered a variety of offensive spells.

* * *

After grouping with the others the party of five now made their way through the rundown labs with the Wizard leading them to their destination.

The group faced many areas plagued by untamed and mutated fungi that roamed free causing more harm to the area. The Wizard, Sorceress and Elf handled most of the fighting since there weren't many tools for the Player to use in combat. Rannie was still useless in combat so he always fled at the first sign of danger, he did, however, managed to unlock any treasure chests that were lying around, stuffing his large white bag full of loot and arrows, the latter of which he carried for the Elf whenever she ran low on ammo.

The group soon found themselves walking across the top of large mushrooms that acted as a sort of bridge for them to walk across so they could reach the next area.

The Wizard continued leading the group with Rannie and the Player closely following behind him. The Sorceress and Elf were enjoying themselves from the look of it, they bounced playfully along the mushrooms, giggling and laughing with one another all the way through.

The Wizard noticed the girls having fun through their travels and turned to the Player as they walked side by side. "How long have you been a team?" He asks.

The Player faced the Wizard as he was addressed. "We formed a team just today. In fact just before coming here the Sorceress and I saved our elven friend back there."

"Those girls…you just recently met them?"

"Pretty much. They're good company and partners."

"Amazing. I was under the impression you three have been a team for years. You were willing to put your life before your companion?"

"Eh, I guess I'm just a people person. We might've only known each other for a short while but she's had my back since we met. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't have made enough money to keep a roof over my head."

The Wizard chuckles as the group pass the cavern of overgrown mushroom's and enter the next fungi infested room. The Wizard turned back and noticed Rannie, "Hm. What about him?"

"Who, Rannie? Uuuh…I don't know. He's just here to tag along I suppose."

Rannie moved up to the two and burrowed his way in between the two guys so that he was in the middle of them. "Hey, hey, what's this talk about me?"

"It's nothing. I was just asking your leader more about you."

"Leader…?" Rannie asked while pointing his thumb at the Player. "We don't have a leader. We're like a team of mercenaries."

"Is that right?" The Player asked sarcastically.

Rannie bumped his chest proudly while maintaining a smug grin.

"So why not tell me your story? Who are you?" The Wizard humored the youth.

"I'm the great Rannie, Rannie the Rogue, the smooth talking lady's man who never loses his cool."

Just as he finished his sentence a giant monstrous bug hatched from a disturbingly large white cocoon on the ceiling. The bug had massive pinchers, green eyes and was able to stand on its back legs. It opened its mighty jaws, revealing its sharp teeth, and roars at the group menacingly.

"HOLY SHIT!" Rannie was the first, and only one of the group, to scream out in complete terror, running behind the Player for protection. "HELP ME, PLAYER! DO SOMETHING! I'M TOO IMPORTANT TO DIE!"

"Huh. So much for never losing your cool, huh?" The Player smiled smugly at Rannie, mimicking the same expression the rogue displayed before the bug appeared.

"YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO POINT OUT IRONY AT A TIME LIKE THIS?!" Rannie remained in a panic.

The Elf rushed to the Player's side, ready for battle. Rannie dug into his bag and pulled out 10 arrows for the Elf to use, after supplying her with ammo he ran off in the opposite direction.

"It just never ends." The Elf states as she placed her arrows in the arrow bag.

The Wizard's staff produced a fiery effect, in contrast to the Sorceress's ice. A blue aura formed around him after he replenished his mystic energy. "An adult Doom Beetle. Pesky gnats."

"Hey, you specialize in fire based attacks, right?" The Player asked after noticing the warm glow emitting from the staff.

"Yes. Why?"

"If you're fire then the Sorceress is ice. You two can make some real cool elemental combinations with jointed efforts. Right, Sorcere-"

Before he could finish his sentence the Player realized the Sorceress was nowhere to be found on the frontlines. He turned around and saw her in the distance, taking shelter behind a large rock while Rannie stuffed himself in his own bag after discovering there was no other place to hide. She waved innocently from behind cover with a bright smile.

The Player sighed and slouched over before picking himself up again. "Oh right. She's afraid of bugs. looks like it's up to us then."

"Hmp. This shouldn't take long." The Wizard gave a confident smile.

The threatening Doom Beetle hissed loudly at the trio before spreading its wings and hovering off of the ground, the beetle charged at the three with its pincers open and its mouth drooling in hunger. The Wizard teleports out of the way, the Elf uses her agile movement to jump high above the incoming beetle and the Player dodge rolls to the side.

The beetle circled around and came swooping back in for another shot at capturing one of the three.

The Wizard conjours up a powerful fireball and launches it that at the starved beetle while it was in the midst of charging at them. Because of its bulky size the beetle was unable to dodge resulting in a direct hit, the attack was powerful enough to disrupt its flight causing it to crash land on the floor.

With the enemy down the Elf, while still airborne, took aim and fired the arrow at the Doom Beetle. The arrow struck the beetle's left eye, making green blood spurt out of its heavily damaged socket. It stood up, shrieking in pain. The Elf lands smoothly on a nearby rock with another arrow ready to be fired.

"Great work!" The Player complimented their teamwork. He noticed a fallen soldier, clad in armor, nearby with a sword beside his corpse. He took the sword in hand and inspected it to see it in good condition.

The beetle was ready for round 2, standing on its back legs with the arrow lodged in its damaged eye. It seemed to have trouble standing but its spirit was relentless and its stomach still empty and growling for food.

The Sorceress was in the back cheering for her team. She somehow managed to find a set of blue/white pom-pom's, which is odd considering they weren't even invented in this time period, and with them cheered gleefully. "Go! Fight! Win! Go! Fight! Win!"

The Wizard used his fire magic to conjour the figure of a large bird, resembling the legendary bird in myth known as the phoenix. The bird roars as it stood behind the Wizard, ready to attack. The Wizard points his staff forward, commanding the fiery bird to attack.

The bird charged for the injured Doom Beetle, beginning it's assault by circling around its prey at blinding speeds which ended up creating a large flame cyclone around it. The bird flew to the top of the rotating flame tunnel and dove in from above, striking the beetle once more and setting it ablaze.

The flames began to die down and the silhouette of the beetle was all that could be seen in the lingering fire. It didn't move but the wings spread from its back and it quickly darts from out of the flames, taking the group by surprise.

The beetle violently tackles the Wizard with devastating force, sent him flying into the wall. The attack was powerful enough to have his body destroy the brick exterior.

The next target for the Doom Beetle was the Elf, who was snatched and gripped up in its claw. The beetle lands with the poor girl at its mercy, her arms were confined in its grasp so using any of her weapons was impossible but this didn't stop her from trying to force her way to freedom. The beetle let out another roar in front of the Elf, showing its drooling mouth and sharp teeth.

The Wizard fell out of his wall imprint and lands on the ground, he was forced to watch in horror as the beetle widened its pincers, ready to cross them clean across the Elf's shoulders and decapitate her.

Before the beetle could finish her off a large chunk of ice struck the beetle's back, distracting the monster from killing the Elf. It turned back and saw the Sorceress who launched the attack. The Beetle now had a new target but didn't release the Elf from its grip.

Before it could move the Player rushes over to the large foe and cuts the beasts arm off using the sword he found earlier. The Elf uses her strength to break free from the severed limb and lands onto her feet. Following up from his last attack the Player quickly turned back and swung the sword across the beetle's left pincher, cutting it off in the same way he did the arm.

The beetle once again cries out as its severed limbs excessively bled its gooey green fluids.

The Elf wentto check on the Wizard as the Player distracts the beetle. "Are you ok?" She asks as he laid up against the wall he flew into.

"I'll be fine. Here." He reached into his pocket and took out a bottle with a flame symbol on its front.

She takes the bottle and examines it. "What's this?"

"Salamander oil, it'll grant fire properties to your arrows. The beetle is weak to fire, strike its heart and end this."

The Elf gave the bottle one last look before nodding, there was no time to raise any questions. She makes her way back into the fray to get a good vantage point.

The beetle was now delirious but it kept fighting, swinging the remainder of its claws around in an attempt to strike the Player who was only able to dodge the beetle's attacks, its unpredictable movements made it hard for him to determine what it would do next so striking was out of the question.

The Sorceress watched in a panic as the Player narrowly dodges the beetle swings however she was able to catch a glimpse of the Elf aiming her new fire arrow at the fight, trying to get a good lock but it was hard with the Player in the way.

The Sorceress didn't want to get near the beetle due to her entomophobia but the fear of losing her companion was much greater so she took action.

She sprints toward the two, "ELF!" she called out to get her attention. "Fire the arrow!"

Before the Elf could question her demands the Sorceress vanished into thin air. The Elf's eyes widen and a smile took form now that she realized what her plan was.

The Player, unintentionally, stood within position to have the beetle's front facing toward the Elf. He grew fatigue from all of the dodging and couldn't do much more but frantically pant in an attempt to catch his breath.

The Elf closed one eye, having complete focus, and shot the flaming arrow but at the same time the beetle swung its claw toward the Player.

The Sorceress teleports beside the Player, quickly wrapping her arms around him and just as fast as she appeared she teleports away much to the beetle's shock. Its claw attack swung at nothing and the arrow struck dead center in the heart. The beetle let out one final cry, green blood spurting out of its mouth as well as its chest area. With the final blow dealt it fell back and landed on its backside, defeated.

The Elf lowered her bow and swiped her thumb across her nose, grinning happily at the result.

The Sorceress teleported herself and the Player to safety. The two clumsily fall on the ground, the Player was being held protectively in the Sorceress' arms. She slowly opened her eyes and saw that he was safe.

"Wait. Where did I-? ...Sorceress?"

She smiles down at him with her hat sitting crooked on her head. "Surprised?" She playfully stuck out her tongue at him.

"…You-?" The Player looked over and saw the beetle on its backside with an arrow sticking out of its chest. "You did the teleport thing again?" He asked her after facing her again.

"Yeah. The Elf had the situation under control. She couldn't fire with you in the way so we waited until you were in the right spot for her to fire and strike the creepy crawly. I got you out of there before the arrow got you. You served as a nice distraction."

He didn't say anything, he just couldn't believe she got in and teleported him away. The whole process of suddenly warping to a different location was trippy but a mind blowing experience. Hearing that his team was so well coordinated only made him that much happier, even if he was nearly clawed to death.

After letting it all sink in the Player fell back onto the grassy floor and laughed. "You guys are epic. Thanks for getting me out of there."

She smiled warmly at his joy and then over to the Elf and Wizard."That's what friends do, right?"

"Right." He nods at her.

She stood up and extended her hand out to him, he took her hand and got up off the ground.

The crew regrouped over by the Wizard who was still a bit injured from the beetle's attack but, as luck would have it, the Player still had the potion from earlier and gave it to the Wizard to heal him. Rannie also joined them once he knew it was safe.

"That was close…" Rannie sighed only to have the back of his head slapped by the Player.

"You didn't do anything."

The Elf giggled and stretched. "Well it was still one heck of a battle."

"And we didn't find Lucain." The Sorceress exhaled tiredly.

"No. He's here." The Wizard corrected her as he inspected a pile of bones nearby.

The group approach him to see what he meant only for their eyes to fall upon the bones he discovered.

The Player placed his hand on top of his head, gesturing worry. "Please don't tell me that's him..."

' _You found some bones that seemed to belong to Lucain in the depths of the labyrinth. The tattered raiment's and jewelry leave no doubt that the corpse is indeed Lucain's.'_

The Player crossed his arms. "I get the feeling we're always going to be late to these things."

"What are we going to do? We told the fairy we'd find him." The Elf nervously rubbed the back of her head. She was never one to deliver bad news to others.

"Correction, I said we'll return once we find something." The Player said. "We found something so we're bringing it back. Rannie, pick everything up. We're leaving. Hey, Wizard, thanks for everything man. We really appreciate it. Hopefully we'll meet again." He placed the sword he found over his shoulder and walks toward the exit.

Rannie gathered all that belonged to Lucain and followed after the Player.

The Elf brought back the Salamander Oil the Wizard provided her. "Here. Thank you for getting us through that. Without you I'm sure we'd be…uh, well, it wouldn't have been easy."

"Keep it." The Wizard offered. "It'll definitely come in handy for you in your future adventures. Use it wisely and be careful."

Her eyes shimmered at him gleefully, she wasn't expecting him to give her such a viable item. "You mean it? Thank you! This will be really useful to me. I'll remember this always. Thank you!" The Elf bows respectfully to the Wizard and made off to catch up with the boys.

The Sorceress watched the Elf joyfully run along before preparing to say her goodbyes as well. "You really saved our necks today. We're really grateful."

"Of course." He smiled at her.

"Well, I should be going too. Hopefully we'll cross paths again."

The Sorceress waved and took the first step to catch up with her party but was stopped as the Wizard gently grabbed her hand. She looked back to him as he did so.

"You know you're welcome to stay."

"Huh?"

"You can stay here and learn more about yourself, about your potential. You're a magic user just like myself and every other wizard here. We could continue to build and thrive. Your magic could be something great so that you could never worry about seeing your friends in danger again. You'll be a warrior of magic and achieve great things. I can see the power in you. With the right training you could be so much more than what you are now."

The Sorceress's eyes widened as the Wizard offered her a place to train to improve her magic, the thought of being able to use spells beyond her comprehension as the Wizard demonstrated earlier wowed her.

"But you already knew that the moment you stepped foot here."

"…You're right." She answered. "I knew this place was something special the moment I arrived. I would love nothing more than to be surrounded by others who share the same magical prowess as I. Always being surrounded by the wonder of magic, improving my own and even potentially being the all-powerful sorceress I always wanted to be. However, I have to decline."

The Wizard wasn't anticipating her answer and lets out an audible gasp of shock. "You decline? You should think of the opportunity you're leaving behind. Your future is bright here, can't you see that?"

"Of course but my future is brighter with my companions. Magic has been a part of my life for as long as I could remember...but never once has it provided me the strength those two managed to pull out of me in only a day." She was of course referencing the Player and Elf. "I'll become the powerful sorceress I've always dreamed of being with them by side. My future is with them. They need me just as much as I need them." Finally she looks back up to the Wizard, happily smiling at him with her answer definite. "It's as simple as that. I won't forget your kindness, thank you."

The Sorceress waved goodbye and went off to catch up with her party. The Wizard watched her off in awe, still shocked at her choice.

The crew managed to leave the labyrinths via the portal that was waiting for them back where they started, it seemed to have been keeping track of their progression or something…I don't know, magic, I guess.

* * *

 **Party Update  
** Member Count(-1): 4

Player  
Role: Leader  
Weapon: None  
Skills: Unknown  
Info: A strategist who remains neutral in all fields. He keeps the team one step ahead of the enemy using a keen eye.

Sorceress  
Role: Defensive Support  
Weapon: Light Staff (Ice)  
Skills: Levitation/Rock Press/Teleport  
Info: A witch who controls magical forces at her whim. She has high magic defense and good support magic

Elf **(New!)**  
Role: Range  
Weapon: Short Bow  
Skills: Holdout Dagger/Backstab/Salamander Oil **(Gained!)**  
Info: A master archer who moves swiftly. She is a well-rounded member.

Rannie  
Role: Looter  
Weapon: None  
Skills: Master of Unlocking  
Info: He is powerless in battle, but he is highly skilled at picking locks.

* * *

 **~ Town Area ~**  
 **Lucain's Tower**

The party was able to make a safe trip back to town and returned to the old tower, everyone, except the Sorceress, entered.

"We're back." The Player wearily approached the fairy.

' _When you enter the laboratory, the fairy frantically flits around you, as if she senses your uneasiness.'_

The Player looks up to the sky confused. "Uneasy? I'm not uneasy."

"That…may be me." The Elf raised her hand nervously.

Rannie held his bag open to the fairy to show her the bones of Lucain.

' _Upon seeing Lucain's bones, the fairy enters into a panic. She begins tugging away at your arm to get you to leave the tower.'_

The Player groans looking more tired than usual but handling a handful of troublesome quests in a single day would have taken its toll on anyone. Despite his dismay he dragged his feet along anyway, following the fairy out of the tower.

"Ok, ok. We're coming…"

The fairy leads the group back in the direction of Canaan Temple. The Player was too exhausted to question his morals anymore and continued following the fairy with his team.

Once they arrive everyone was greeted by the same monk who revived the Elf. Rannie hands over the pile of bones and let the monk to handle the rest, repeating the same prayer he used for the Elf. The process was repeated word for word, the same heavenly effects played out as well, naked angel babies. Seeing it all again wasn't too impressive for the Player, he wished within his subconscious that he could skip everything with a button or something.

' _The prayer reaches the goddess, and the pile of bones is once again given flesh.'_

The man Lucain appeared up in age with his most noticeable trait was his long grey beard. He was wrinkled but had the image of a very wise and powerful magician. He was dressed in his all blue attire that was nearly identical to the Sorceress'.

He rose from the temple alter and saw the party before him. The fairy was overjoyed to see him revived and circled around his head joyfully.

"….This is Lucain?" The player questioned. "Dude. He's so damn old it was probably his time to die! THIS is what we risked our lives for?!"

The Sorceress kicked him in the shin, resulting in the Player flinching in mild pain.

"Oh? I'm alive!" Lucain exclaimed in a whimsical tone. "Was it you that revived me, my friend?" He asked the fairy who was happily flying around him.

She shook her head and guides his attention to the three before him, using more body gestures to answer his question.

"Ah! I see. So you're the ones? Such lovely young people, it does my heart good to see there's still some good in the new generation."

"Yeah, whatever." The Player was still a bit grumpy. The Sorceress applied more force and kicked his shin once more. "GAAAH!" The Player collapsed to his knees. "Goddamn, ok, ok!"

Lucain levitated from off the temple alter and stood before the party. "Thank you, thank you so much! You've done me a life of gratitude for this. Come by my tower, I have something I'd like to discuss."

"…Wait, wait, wait! Just tell us here!" The Player shouted.

' _Lucain, shocked to find himself alive, thanks you profusely, he tells you to visit him at his laboratory and leaves.'_

The Player's eye twitched aggressively. "FUUUUUUUUUUUU-"

' _The resurrected magician has returned to the old tower in town, you decide to see him to ask more details.'_

A few minutes later the party walk back to the old tower, the Elf carried the Player on her back as he was dealt a powerful blow to the head, most likely from the Sorceress for his use of such vulgar language in the sacred temple. He had a large lump extending from his head as he laid over the Elf's shoulder.

' _The magician Lucain is waiting for you in the laboratory of the old tower. It seems that dying had an adverse effect on his short-term memory. Lucain can't remember why he went to meet Wallace.'_

"Alzheimer's…" The Player muttered. Hearing the narrator's explanation seemed to have brought him back around.

"You're really a glutton for punishment, aren't you?" Rannie quietly whispered.

"Shut up. I'm tired and I still haven't had the chance to get my drink."

"True enough. Drinks are still on you, right?"

"Kiss my ass."

Lucain removed the pipe from his mouth and gave the team an intrigued smile. "Now, I've called you here to tell you about this spell form of magic I've been studying. They're called 'Runes', it's a very ancient form of magic. Well beyond our time."

The Sorceress's eyes sparkled in interest. She stood like an eager school girl ready for the first day of school.

"This form of magic is linked to elements beyond human comprehension, such as spirits and fairies." He continued to explain. "I work feverishly around the clock to unlock all of its secrets but the more I learn the more mystery I uncover. That's why I have my little friend here. She's like an assistant to me. Her name is Tiki and her curious spirit lead her away from home. She wanted to see the world beyond her borders."

The Elf couldn't help but smile at the fairy as she saw a bit of herself in Tiki. "You too, huh? I left home for the same reason."

"I see you're all well acquainted. She tells me you saved her from imprisonment."

"Yeah, she was trapped in a cage." The Player answered.

"We both thank you sincerely for all your efforts." Lucain goes on to point his old staff to his magical trinkets displayed in a fancy glass cabinet. "I've a variety of magical items that you can use if you're ever in need of them. I would be more than happy to sell you them at a fraction of the normal price."

The Player gazed at Lucain with a raised brow. "At a fraction of the normal price? You should be giving us stuff for free. We brought you BACK to LIFE. How are you going to put a price on that? Sounds like a load of bullshi-"

A loud 'WHACK' was heard as a white flash passed by. The Player was once again slouched over on the Elf, now sporting a second comically exaggeratedly sized lump on his head.

"Don't mind him." The Sorceress insisted. "If we ever find a need for your magical items we'll definitely consider them but I have a question, if you don't mind; who exactly is Wallace?"

"Wallace is an old friend of mine. He's a great magician. He sealed away a group of rampaging Cyclopes in a labyrinth and saved the land. He was also a beloved mentor by many."

"Wow…" The Sorceress was in awe. "He must've been really important."

"Indeed he was. In fact he was the king's trusted advisor, and…oh."

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"Hm…it seems my memory has failed me again." Lucain regretfully informed her.

"Oh. That's too bad…I was hoping to learn more about him."

The Player regained his composure and got off of the Elf's back. "That's great and all but I don't care…I'm going to get my drink. It was a pleasure saving you, Lucain but I'm out."

Before he could leave the room Tiki flew up to him, dancing around his torso happily more than she had ever done so before. Her actions suggested she was actually trying to tell him something.

"What's she doing?" The Player asked.

Lucain observed Tiki's behavior and realized she was showing signs of affection toward the group. "It seems she's taken a liking to you. Do me a favor? Look after her for me."

The Player was a bit mesmerized by Tiki's cute little dance but the moment he heard Lucain's favor he quickly looks over to him with a furrowed brow. "What?" He asked in a surprised tone.

"I've given all I could to the young fairy and I would hate to keep her confined to the tower. Her heart craves freedom and adventure, something I'm sure you and your party are well accustomed to. She will accompany you henceforth. Fairies are known to be adept at finding hidden things so she will prove useful to your searches."

Tiki gave a small twirl in front of the Player's face, having her gold sparkles emit off of her body and sprinkle onto his nose which tickled him. He snickered lightly and rubbed the back of his head, silently accepting the fairy with a smile.


	3. To Catch a Thief

After returning safely from Wallace's Underground Labyrinth and resurrecting the fallen magician, Lucain, the Player, Sorceress, Elf and Rannie departed from the ivory tower and returned to the main town area with their new companion, Tiki. The party continued to grow and expand with members.

The day was long and rather strenuous. The sun was beginning to set, a clear sign that it was time for rest and relaxation. The Player and his team were now on their way to-

"NOOOO!"

…Never mind, sounds like we're jumping right into it. Let's just see what they're up to.

The Player fell to his knees, holding his arms up to the sky. "Noooo! No! No! No!" He continued to shout in dismay.

The Sorceress, Elf and Rannie were watching his dramatic episode from behind, almost embarrassed he was causing such a scene.

"Are you really going to be this overdramatic?" The Sorceress asked as she shook her head. "The inn is closed, so what? We'll just come back tomorrow."

The Player glares at the Sorceress by peering over his shoulder, he didn't say anything and just went back to hanging his head in defeat.

"You're such a baby." She teased with a smile. The Sorceress turned to her other two companions. "Well, it's getting late so I think I'm going to head home. All that running and fighting has put me in need of a bath."

"You better believe it." The Player mumbled under his breath as he got off of his hands and knees to slap away the dirt off his hands and pants.

The Sorceress managed to hear his comment and locked him in a headlock. "What was that?" She had a devilish grin while applying more pressure to his neck, forcing him to struggle for freedom.

"I didn't say anything!" He insisted while squirming about. His cheek was pressed against her bosom while trying to break free but to no avail.

The Elf and Rannie laughed at their exchange, seeing the two go at it actually reminded them of bickering siblings.

Seeing as how she was ready to go, and content with her rough housing, the Sorceress released the Player. After their goodbye's she waved to her friends and walks down the road.

"I suppose I'll call it a day too." Rannie said after he was done waving to the Sorceress. "We did a lot done today and I'm exhausted."

Hearing Rannie made the Player squint his eyes. "Yeah, 'we', meaning the Elf, Sorceress and myself. All you did was piss yourself and run for cover the moment danger surfaced. Hell, even the narrator did more than you and he's just a voice."

"Hey, who carried the bones, hm?" Rannie dangled his empty bag in front to the Player to justify his assistance. Before the Player could reply the young rogue turned his back to him. "Now I will be leaving, in a huff!" He threw the bag back over his shoulder and placed one hand on his hip while strutting away.

The Player groans at Rannie but moved on, now directing his attention to the Elf. "Heading home too?"

"I don't have a home." She answered.

"...You don't?" He asked, looking a bit puzzled.

"Actually, no, I shouldn't say that. Everyone has a home, right? I did have one but I left that behind to come here."

The Player looked was clearly showing concern via his gaze, he wasn't expecting to hear about the Elf's homeless condition. "Where do you sleep?" Curiosity piqued his interest as he put another question on the table.

"Out in the wilderness. I guess, in a sense, nature is my home." She smiled to him but the Player wasn't amused.

He narrowed one eye and raised a brow with the other. "Yeah, ok, well you're not doing that anymore. You can stay with me until you find your own place or we could both live under the same roof and split the rent. It doesn't matter to me."

The Elf held her hands up to the Player and shook her head. "No, no. That's really ok. I appreciate your offer but I'm perfectly at home outside. I even have little woodland friends to keep me company."

"You need a roof over your head." He was dully adamant on his choice. He even leans in toward her and gave a quick whiff before pulling back after an unpleasant scent hit his nose. "And a bath."

"But I have-"

Before she could argue the Player grabbed her by the hand and pulled her along like a rebellious child. His house was directly to the left of the inn so there wasn't much time for arguing anyway. Once they arrived the Player unlocked the door and pushed it open, holding the door open to allow the Elf to pass in before him, ladies first and all that. Once she was inside he closed and locked the behind them.

* * *

 **~ Town Area ~**  
 **The Player's House**

His house was pretty standard, nothing big or fancy. There was a living room, kitchen and a fireplace downstairs while upstairs contained one bedroom, one bath. The Elf awkwardly stood in place as she took in everything that surrounded her. It was as if she was in a completely different world. The Player noticed this and pat her back.

"You ok?"

"…H-Huh?"

"Are you ok? You look spaced out. Is something wrong?"

The Elf frantically shook her head before putting on a forced smile that only gave off the impression that she was nervous. "No! I'm sorry I didn't mean for it to look as if something was wrong. I've never been in a human's house before. This is vastly different from life in the forest."

"You lived in a forest?" The Player asked as he took off his hoodie and placed it on the coat rack by the front door.

"Yes. Elves live away from humans. We coexist peacefully with nature, animals and fairies deep within the forest. Most of my people have never even seen a human."

"Hm. I wonder why." He pondered on the matter but didn't linger for long. "If that's the case then you're one of the rare few who have, right?"

"I would imagine so." She giggled.

"Then this experience should be quite the education for you. When you head back home you'll be able to tell your friends and family all about it."

The Player went over to the kitchen to see if there was anything for the Elf to eat in case she was hungry but the cabinets was full of chips, candy and just piles of junk food. He closed the cabinets, almost embarrassed at how much junk he had. Now it was time to check the fridge.

'Um…I'm not much of a cook, so I doubt I'll be able to make anything for us without burning the house down, yet for some reason I still buy meat and vegetables like I can.' He thought to himself. He took what he had and placed it out on the table to weigh his options.

His eyes paced between the meat and vegetables. The Elf entered the kitchen and patiently watched him to see if he was going to figure out what they were going to have for dinner. Her look of patience was mistaken for impatience in the eyes of the Player, this seemed to put him under pressure.

"….Uuuuuh. I'm going to have a bath first. Yeah, that's it. Then I'll know what to cook up. I just need to get myself good and clean first. A nice hot bath is where my creative flow kicks in."

The Elf was no fool but when it came to her new friends she was willing to believe anything and demonstrates this by falling for the Player's nonsense. She smiles at him and nods her head in understanding. "You don't have to worry about it too much. You were working hard all day. You definitely deserve a little rest."

"Yeah…that. That's totally the reason. Don't worry though, I'll figure something out."

Later that evening he sat in the tub still unable to figure anything out. It was here he realized the Elf really would have been better off living out in the great outdoors, now his big mouth and willingness to help others, even if they don't need it, had finally bitten him.

The Player soaked in the hot water for about an hour and still nothing, this whole endeavor was for naught. Eventually he took his mind off of dinner and just washed himself.

After cleaning tub and getting dry he changed into his night clothes only to realize a crucial factor; the Elf didn't have anything to wear for the night. More problems surfaced as he went about his daily routine, she needed a toothbrush, wash cloth, a towel, clean clothes and so on, it was just one thing after another.

He went back to his room and scavenged some clothes for his company, getting a shirt was no problem, he got a basic white t-shirt, but his search also lead him to discover he owned a pair of pink pajama bottoms with little ice cream design down the legs…he quickly threw them back in the drawer, even questioning himself on why and when he got them.

A bit more digging and he uncovered a pair of black bottoms and no special ice cream design. He closed the drawers and took her things to the bathroom, placing them on the sink along with a towel and washcloth. He got her everything she would need and left the bathroom to go back downstairs.

"Hey, Elf, I got all your stuff up in the bathroom so all you need to do is-" Halfway down the stairs a delicious aroma hit his nose causing him to stop mid-sentence. Once he got downstairs he saw the Elf setting down a warm cooked meal for the both of them.

"Hey!" She greeted him eagerly. "All done with your bath?"

"Yeah…but what's all this?" He asked while approaching the kitchen, astonished to see the food she had threw together with what little she had.

"I thought it would be okay if I did the cooking while you were tending to your bath. I know you said you were going to make something for us but you looked so exhausted I went ahead and prepped something in your stead."

The meal she made appeared in the shimmering reflection of his hungry eyes, since he arrived in Hydeland the Player never had the chance to properly enjoy a home cooked meal so this was a blessed surprise for him. He was speechless and struck in awe, nearly drooling at the sight.

"You look disappointed. I'm sorry." The Elf looks away from him in a saddened state. "This is your home after all. I had no right to use your kitchen."

"NO!" His sudden shout made her jolt in response. "…I mean. That's okay, I had a special recipe planned but this looks pretty good too. I'd happily eat your dinner."

The Elf perked up in a instant, joyed to see he wasn't upset…but she was still a victim of his less than honest words. "I'm really happy to hear that. Next time you can make your special recipe. I bet it'll taste really good."

"I don't doubt that." He seemed high in himself, agreeing with the Elf by nodding his head. "So! What'd you make?"

"Two bowls of ham steak. I'm not sure if I got the seasoning right since I wasn't too familiar with what you had. I apologize for that."

"No need to be sorry." He seemed to be directing his words to the food, partially deluded thinking his dinner was the one talking to him.

The Elf cocked her head to the side in confusion as she saw this. "Um…Ok!" She answered with a bit of uncertainty as he made it a bit awkward. "By the way weren't you going to tell me something?"

"Hm? What?" The Player had turned to the Elf, finally remembering that she was the one talking to him and not the steak. "Oh right! I was telling you that all your stuff was ready upstairs. Whenever you're ready for the bath and what not."

"My stuff?" She asked looking puzzled. "But I don't have anything."

"I know. I got you some stuff. You can just use what I got out for you until we can buy you new clothes."

"...That's so nice. You're such a good friend, Player. Thank you, I'll go get started right away!" The Elf's spirits were bright and cheerful, the new experience thrilled her and she wanted to understand more about the human lifestyle now that she was beginning to embrace that she would be sharing it with a friend.

She happily made her way up the stairs and found her way to the bathroom...for roughly a minute and she returned to the kitchen to the Player's confusion.

"Something wrong?" He asked.

"I have no idea how anything works up there." She flatly stated while standing in front of her roommate.

What was meant to be a simple task now turned to a tutorial, he went upstairs to the bathroom with the Elf to show her the ropes.

"This is where you get cleaned." He explained as he went over to the tub. "If you want to control the temperature of the water you rotate these little knobs here. The red one means hot and the blue one means cold." He turned on both faucets and water began to pour, both hot and cold, resulting in a perfect balance in temperature. He grabbed the tub's plug and placed it in the drain. "This is a drain plug. It stops the water from draining so the tub will fill up. When you're done just pull it out so the water can drain."

The Elf stood in marvel, lost in wonder as she enjoyed the lesson he provided but it was short lived since it was so basic.

"Class dismissed. Don't forget to use your washrag."

"Washrag?" She asked looking puzzled.

The Player already had his hand on the bathroom's doorknob, ready to leave, but before he could exit her question registered into his head. He turned and pointed to the rag on top of her towel.

She grabbed the rag and examined it carefully. "What do I do with it?"

He sighs heavily and rubbed the back of his head, he didn't mind answering her questions but it felt as if he was taking care of a child at this point. "You put the soap in the rag, get it soapy then you move it all around your body."

"….Um." She tried to grasp the concept but didn't seem to follow.

The Player noticed her look of uncertainty and slouched over. "This is a T-rated story so I won't be able to show you all of that. Just do your best."

Now that came out of nowhere, the Elf was rightfully confused and scratched the back of her head. "T-rated?"

The bathroom door suddenly closed and the Player was nowhere to be found thus leaving her question unsolved.

Later on the Elf did what she could on her own in the tub and managed to follow through with the basics of human hygiene, she ensured she got every inch of her petite figure cleaned. Once she was done she removed the drain plug to let the water drain, but rather than getting out she watched closely as the draining water created a miniature whirlpool, a sight which she had never seen so she was amazed.

After all the water was out the Elf dried herself off, now it was time for the clothes. She held his t-shirt up to her torso for a size comparison and, not surprisingly, the shirt was a bit too big for her but this didn't stop her from putting it on. The shirt reached her lower body, properly covering her hip area.

When she tried putting on the pajama bottoms they initially appeared to be a good fit, just baggy around the legs, until they fell right off of her hips and around her ankle. She pulled them up once more but the result was the same, they simply fell right back down.

After finishing up she makes her way back to the kitchen. The Player was sitting at the kitchen table still drooling over his food which he hadn't touched.

"I'm done." The Elf said to him after entering.

The Player faced her and was a bit surprised to see she only had on the undershirt. "Um, you know you were supposed to put the pants on, right?

"They were too big and kept falling off. Hehe…actually everything's too big. The shirt itself is kinda like a dress, see?" She grins shyly while holding up her arms to show the sleeves reaching down to her forearms.

"Ah. I should've figured the clothes would've been too big for you but you look good with that nevertheless."

"Thank you." Her cheeks brightened to a light shade of red out of embarrassment from his compliment. She noticed the Player's bowl was untouched, not a single bite was laid to the meal she prepared. "You haven't eaten yet?" She asked while taking her seat across from him. "Do you not like meat?"

The Player was already in the middle of biting into the meat like a vicious carnivore, he didn't even bother using his knife and fork to cut the thick meat into pieces he just stabbed it with his fork and ate.

"Nope. It's not…that!" His teeth shred the meat with ease as he pulled his head back from his fork, the steak was nice and thick. "I was just waiting for you to get back."

"Waiting for me?"

"Yeah." He briefly stopped to chew and swallow. "I wanted to eat with you. I've been living on my own for quite some time and I haven't had the chance to just, y'know, have somebody around. It can get pretty lonely sometimes so having dinner with a friend is a welcoming change, besides this is your first time eating with a human, right?"

The Elf didn't exactly know how to respond, or even react to his confession, but the fact that he wanted her around warmed her heart resulting in a smile taking form which quickly transitioned into a bright and delighted grin. "...Yes. It is my first time having dinner with a human friend. It's a wonderful feeling and I want to thank you sincerely for sharing this moment with me."

"Don't mention it. Now you should start eating up, the food is still pretty warm." He continued to eat in an uncivil manner.

The Elf nods and joins him though she was more graceful with her table manners, cutting up small pieces of meat and biting into it.

Dinner was complimented with chatter and laughter, casual exchanges between friends that enhanced the evening. After they were done eating the new roommates continued to gossip, getting to know each other in the living room until night eventually fell.

The Player and Elf both fell asleep on the couch, the former of which awakens on the opposite end of the couch and sees the Elf sleeping soundly down the other end. He got up carefully, as to not disturb her sleep, and picked her up in a bridal fashion. He carried her up to his bedroom and lowered her gently onto the mattress and pulled the covers over her body, the warmth on her body causes the Elf to smile in her sleep.

After settling the Elf in the Player leaves the room, turning out the light as he left. He went back downstairs to sleep on the couch.

* * *

 **~ Town Area ~**  
 **Dragon Haven Inn**

The next morning the Player, Sorceress, Elf and Rannie all meet up to finally get the drinks they never managed to get the previous day after tackling two quests back to back.

"Eat bread, make sandwiches. You know what I'm sayin'?" Rannie asked the group.

"I have yet to understand a word that comes out of your mouth." The Sorceress replied with a hint of boredom in her voice.

"Yeah, groovy."

The bartender approached their table with a tray of drinks. "Here you go. Enjoy." He served them with a smile. "Looks like you two made it okay." The bartender turned his attention to the Player and Sorceress who look back at him in curiosity. "You made it into the guild with no trouble, right? I've heard great things about you from one of my top customers. She's among the top ranks in the guild."

The Player's cocky grin resurfaced… "Yeah, it was a cakewalk." He was clearly displaying pride.

The Sorceress rolled her eyes but couldn't help but laugh at his response. "Because of me. This poor fool didn't want to go alone so I chose to tag along and see him through it."

"First of all…that's not true." The Player gave her a rivaling glance. "The guild master forced you on me. I wouldn't have had to take any tests in the first place if you kept your mouth shut."

She crossed her arms underneath her large bust and mischievously smiles at the Player. "I made you a man by taking you out to those ruins."

"Oh my…" Rannie teasingly joined in on their conversation, implying the two had engaged in more intimate matters.

"Shut up, Rannie." They both retort immediately.

The bartender laughed and bid farewell to his customers, letting them get back to their drinks in peace. The Sorceress took her mug by the handle and held it up to her lips for a drink of ale.

The Player followed her lead and placed his lips down onto the rim. Just before he could start drinking Tiki jumped out from the alcohol and splashed the Player's face, taking him by surprise. "AH! ...What the hell? …Tiki?!"

Rannie sat his mug down and let out a light belch. "Tiki?"

The Player held out his mug to Rannie to show him their fairy companion soaked in mead. The group was a bit surprised by this.

"When did she get in there?" The Sorceress asked no one in particular.

"Tiki, get out!"

The Player's words fell on deaf ears as Tiki was paying him no mind as she swam around his mug.

"She's definitely drunk." The Elf observed. "I doubt she understands a word you're saying."

The Player narrowed his eyes at Tiki and shrugged, placing the mug up to his mouth anyway. It appeared he was willing to drink up anyway despite the intoxicated fairy addition.

The Sorceress stops him by gently slapping the back of his head. "Don't even think about it." She taunts him. "Here, you can have some of mine. Just don't drink it all."

The Player took the mug from the Sorceress and began to drink the ale, not even a 'thank you' was given.

As things with the group settled the Amazon entered the inn. She waved to the bartender and made her way over to the Player's table. "I figured you'd all be here." She approached them with a smile.

The Player lowered the mug and faced the bulky woman. "Um… You're the Amazon, right?"

"That's right. It's good to see you're all doing well."

"Of course." The Sorceress replied. "It's nice to see you again. How are you this morning?"

"I'm alright. Thanks for asking. I actually just got back from a job. I had to slay a few orcs while wearing ritual Amazonian armor."

The Player and Rannie eyed the Amazon from head to toe, checking out her gear, she was practically naked with what little she had on. The boys couldn't help but wonder what this armor was and how much of her body it actually covered, assuming it didn't reveal more.

"You did it all by yourself…?" The Elf asked curiously. The Amazon answered with a single nod. The Elf admired the Amazon's brawn and gazed dreamily upon her. "Wow…that must've been hard."

The Player sat the mug down after finishing the drink. "How much they pay you for it?"

The Amazon took out a thick bag from hammerspace, jiggling it in front of the group with the sound of metal coins jingling together from inside. "I'd say…about 10,000 gold."

"10,000 GOLD?!" The entire group exclaimed.

The Amazon flinched at their outburst but answered, "Yeah…that's about right. The guild pays double if you take on jobs alone."

"…You know we're looking for more party members. Why not join us?" The Player sounded a bit hopeful in his offer.

"Sorry, I'm not interested." The Amazon politely declined before tying her money sac around her waist.

"Damn it!" The Player hammered his fist on the table in defeat. "Come on. It'll be fun. It's like joining a family. Think of all the money we could make."

"I've been part of a 'family' before, didn't quite work out. Not interested." The Amazon clearly had bad experience with belonging to a team and she had no intent on explaining herself. "If you're looking to make more money you can tackle some of the easier jobs until you get strong enough for more difficult tasks. The guild has a backlog of requests that need completing so you should never be short on cash."

"A backlog of requests? How can that be?" The Player asked. "The guild has a boatload of members. You'd think all the jobs would be taken."

"You can thank the Dragon's Crown rumors for that." The Amazon answered with her arms crossed. "Even the king of this land was interested in finding it."

"Has it ever been found?" Rannie asked.

"No. It's just a rumor after all. Though the king and his retinue haven't returned yet. Most members in the guild are looking for them."

"Must be a valuable treasure if the king set out to find it..." The Sorceress comments. Whatever this relic was it seemed to have her interest piqued.

"It's said to have the power to control dragon's but even still it's just a rumor. It's foolish for anyone to chase after fairy tales." The Amazon asked the group.

"It sounds really dangerous if you ask me. I hope the king is safe." The Elf replied.

"If it was real I'd be more interested in what I could sell it for. I have no interest in controlling a dragon." Rannie added before taking another drink.

"As grand as it sounds I don't think it's worth the king risking his life." The Sorceress chipped in. "If something were to happen to him Hydeland would plunge into chaos." She then faced the Player. "What do you think?"

Unlike the others the Player was lost in the midst of a wonderful daydream; He was soaring through the skies on the head of a mighty dragon with a diamond encrusted crown made of solid gold with his name embedded on the front.

Meanwhile, in the realm of reality, the Sorceress, Elf, Rannie and Amazon stare at him as he was zoned out.

"Player. Hey, Player? Player!" The Sorceress gave him a shake to snap him out of his daydream.

"Huh? What?"

"I said I had a job for you from the guild master." The Amazon said with the request in hand. "He wanted me to give this to you."

She hands the request form over to the Player and he opened the scroll. "What request?" He began to read over the details.

"It's a request from the Prime Minister." The Amazon answered just as he began to read over the form. "The guild master seems to trust you with this specific task. You should be proud, your group has left quite an impression on him."

The Elf faced the Player awaiting his answer. "Well, Player, what do you want to do?"

"It says to meet the Prime Minister and the Princess of Hydeland at the castle for further details if we accept. If we're getting a request from royalty there's no doubt they'll pay big for a job well done."

Rannie quickly stood up from his chair with an enthusiastic grin. "Let's take it!" It was obviously his thirst for wealth that got him so excited.

The Elf casually smiles and nods. If that's your choice then I'm with you guys."

"Hold your horses." The Sorceress looked out to the group in concern. "We're still new recruits to the guild, don't you think we're a bit…underqualified for such a big task? We should stick with smaller quests until we gain more experience."

The Player, Elf and Rannie look at her and then to one another.

"Last one to the castle pays for drinks." The Player quickly stated as he stood up from his chair, now making a sprint for the door.

The Elf grabbed her bow and chased after him with Rannie right behind them, leaving the Sorceress to sit and realize what just happened.

"Wait, what? Gah! You idiots! I- UGH!" She groans and leaves money on the table. She grabbed her Light Staff and ran ahead to catch up with the group.

The Amazon watched them off with a blank gaze. She was lost in thought in what the Player said to her before.

"… _You know we're looking for more party members. Why not join us? Come on. It'll be fun. It's like joining a family."_

The Amazon walks over to the counter and sat down on one of the free stools with an emotionless expression. "…Don't make me laugh, as if I'd ever join anybody's crew."

"You're still on that?" The bartender asks as he sat down a goblet of grape wine in front of the young warrior. Based on his words the bartender was already familiar with the Amazon and bringing her a specific drink that she didn't even order further supports this, grape wine was the Amazon's favorite alcoholic beverage. "Don't you think it's time to come out of the past to see what the present holds?"

The Amazon was staring down to her reflection within the wine, her expression remained unchanged. "I'm not letting anything go. The whole idea of it is just stupid. Besides I work better alone."

"Or so you've made yourself believe. I won't stop you from thinking the way you do but you have to realize that living in the past will not progress your future."

The Amazon sat the goblet down, her state of mind remained unfazed. The bartender knew his words wouldn't have got through, he made no progress all the other times he's told her so why would now be any different? Still, he hated seeing her in such an emotional state and wants nothing more than to help.

He said what he had to and continued with his work, serving the next customer.

* * *

 **~ Town Area ~**  
 **Castle Outskirts**

The Player, Sorceress, Elf and Rannie continued making their way for the castle, the Player lead the group thanks to his possession of the town map the Amazon gave him the other day.

"Alright, just a little farther and we'll be at the castle." The Player informed the others with an enthusiastic smile.

"Just think of all the gold we'll get if we get this job done." Rannie's eyes were gleaming with joy. The very idea of working for royalty was a dream come true. He became lost in thought at the idea of swimming in riches.

"You two are so greedy." The Sorceress responds with a half-lidded gaze and a slight frown, she was still worried about their choice. "This is the royal family we're talking about. They could ask us for anything."

The Player looks back at the Sorceress from his shoulder. "We've been up against giant spiders, angry bats, a crazy bird lady, possessed tree stumps and a killer bug. What could they possibly throw at us that we're not prepared for?"

"They could send us to another country for one. How about Espionage? Having us fight in a war would surely be devastating." She quickly answered.

"Sounds to me like you're scared." The Player teased with a sly grin.

The Sorceress rolled her eyes and shook her head at him. "You're such a fool." She was mildly annoyed he was acting so childish in a serious situation.

Seeing their squabble the Elf intervened. "Hey, whatever happens we'll see it through as a team. It doesn't matter what job we take, we're in this together."

"She's right." Rannie joined in. "I may just be in it for profit but I'm still a part of the team. Making this choice will help us all out."

The Player smiled at the two and then back to the Sorceress. "See? We're all confident enough in our skill as a unit to at least give it a shot. Have a little faith in us, Sorceress. Jeez."

The Sorceress looked out to her team and gave a small sigh, now smiling back at them. "There's no winning this, is there? Fine, you all win. And…you're right. As a team I just know that no matter what hardships we encounter, no matter the obstacle, we'll always-"

"Sssssh! Shut up, shut up! We're here!" The Player abruptly cuts her off as they approached the castle.

The Sorceress was displaying a humorously annoyed expression as the Player ran up to the giant wooden doors.

"Man, the castle's even bigger than I thought. It's almost intimidating but that's enough gawking. Guy's from here on out it's nothing but the high life for us."

The moment the Player made contact with the impressively large double doors a masculine "HALT!" comes from the side, getting the party's attention.

Without warning they were all surrounded by heavily armed guards. Countless swords were aimed at their throats…obviously overkill if they decided to end their lives.

"W-What the heck's going on?" The Elf asked in worry.

"I take it back. This is a bad idea!" Rannie cried out in fear, instantly changing his mind on the whole thing.

Unlike the others the Sorceress wasn't alarmed or surprised, instead she looks onward with a blank gaze and sighs.

"Stand aside." The masculine voice that shouted at them prior spoke once more. The armored guards began to make way for another man clad in armor, he was a bit bulkier and taller than the rest. The Player, who was about average height, stood up to the man's chest. "State your business."

"Eh?" The Player furrowed a brow in confusion. "Are you the prime minister?"

"He's clad in armor with a sword and shield. Does he look like the prime minister?" The Sorceress asked sarcastically.

"Maybe the prime minister likes to pack heat." The Player responds.

The Sorceress was a bit confused by the Player's choice of words which were, admittedly, pretty modern for this time period. "Pack…heat? That doesn't even make sense."

"Your bra size doesn't make sense."

"Pftch!" Rannie snickered uncontrollably at the Player's retort.

The Sorceress heard Rannie and turned to him in a fit. "Shut the hell up, Rannie!"

The guards watched the group's antics, looking lost and geninuely confused...did they forget the seriousness of their situation? The Elf was silently observing as well, not wanting to provoke any further outbursts.

The man stepped closer to the group, this time holding his sword up to the Player's face. "State your business now or face execution."

The Player eased his head back away from the tip of the blade. "Easy. We've been summoned by the Prime Minister and Princess of Hydeland." He reached for his pocket and pulled out the request form given to them by the Amazon.

The man took the form and read over it for clarification. "You're kidding me. They sent you?"

"You bet. They sent the best in the guild."

"We volunteered." The Sorceress dully corrected.

"Volunteered?" The man questioned before bursting out into laughter. "I take it you're the leader?" He directed his question toward the Player.

"Basically." He answered.

The Sorceress cocked her head to the side the moment the Player answered. "I don't remember agreeing to that." She whispered to the Elf and Rannie.

"Well…what's a crew without a leader?" The Elf whispered back. "I don't mind if the Player leads us. I think he has all the right qualities to make a good leader. Don't you think?"

The Sorceress didn't reply and Rannie shrugged the question off.

The man in armor lowered his sword from the Player and removed his protective helmet to reveal his long dirty blonde hair. "Hm… Well, if this is what they want then I guess we have no choice but to allow you to pass. Your word must hold true, you're one of the elite in the guild. Apologies for such a rude greeting. Men! Lower your weapons!" The knight handed the form back to the Player. The surrounding soldiers did as commanded and lowered their weapons.

"All is forgiven. Just make sure you don't let it happen again. We didn't HAVE to grace your presence with our greatness." The Player rolled the paper up and placed it in his pocket.

The commanding knight stood in silence for a second, not understanding why the Player was acting so entitled but ultimately he decided not to pay it much mind. He opened the large doors for the party and granted them access. "Please, come in."

The Player, Sorceress and Elf walk forward, entering the castle. Rannie, who felt as if he had some form of immunity, looked out to the knights who had him and his team at sword-point and smugly brushed off his shoulders at them and strolled his way inside the castle.

The knights were left confused by Rannie's actions but he wasn't important so they went back to their posts.

* * *

 **~ Royal Castle ~**

As they were escorted through the halls of the large castle the party was struck in awe from how marvelous their surroundings were. None of them were ever surrounded by such a high society environment, it was especially overwhelming for the Elf and Rannie. Everything from the checkered marbled floor, to the large canvas paintings of the royal family, to the expensive glass chandeliers above was all breathtaking.

The knight lead the party to the throne room, where the Princess and Prime Minister were waiting for them.

The knight respectfully stands upright to the duo and presents to them the party of whom they summoned. "Princess Vivian, Prime Minister Gustaf. I humbly bring you warriors from the Adventurers Guild. They have been handpicked by the guild master, Samuel, to take your request. Rumored to be some of the guild's finest."

Gustaf nods at the knight. "Thank you. That will be all for now."

The knight bows respectfully to the duo and promptly takes his leave, closing the door behind himself to allow the Princess and the Prime Minster to have their meeting with the party.

The Player watched the knight leaves and faces the two, pointing his thumb back to the front door. "That's all you had to say to get rid of him? " He asked while laughing a bit. "I'll have to keep that in mind."

What the Player hadn't realized before was the Sorceress, Elf and Rannie all kneeling to show respect to the royal pair.

"Princess Vivian, Prime Minister Gustaf! It's an honor!" The Sorceress spoke out for the party.

The Player was not familiar with this particular social gesture, so rather than following his companions lead he casually raised his hand and waves. "Hey." The Sorceress took action by punching the back of his leg, making him collapse onto one knee. "Ack!" He gently shrieked, now looking over to the Sorceress. "What was that for?!" He whispered…rather loudly.

"Would you show some respect?!" The Sorceress whispered back. "You're making us look bad!" Her whispering tone wasn't any better.

"What are you talkin' abo-" The sound of another physical hit could be heard as Princess Vivian continued to observe the party, "-oooow!"

Gustaf cleared his throat, pretending he didn't notice the Player and Sorceress' bickering. "Yes, well, we're glad you could all come on such short notice."

"Oh no. The pleasure is all ours." The Sorceress spoke out once again, to her left the Player was rubbing the back of his sore leg. "A chance to work for someone as hgh as thee was an opportunity we just couldn't refuse."

"And Samuel has recommended you. I expect good things from your party."

"Of course." She replies.

"Very good. Now, to the matter at hand…but first, nothing we discuss shall be made public. You must keep our inquiries secret. Everything we talk about must be taken with you to the grave. Is that understood?"

This was obviously a serious matter. Understanding the weight of the mission the Elf, Player, Sorceress and Rannie all nod in understanding.

"Mmm." Gustaf was pleased with their answer and stepped forward. "The royal scepter has been stolen. A very skilled thief has managed to penetrate our defenses and steal it right from under us."

The Sorceress and Rannie show a bit of shock from the news, the Elf and Player didn't have much of a reaction due to their lack of knowledge of the royal scepter or it's significance.

"Is that why the guards were being so tight assed outside?" The Player asked, now laughing at the guards incompetence.

"Player, shut up!" The Sorceress turned to him, unable to believe his language in front of Vivian and Gustaf.

Rannie had a peculiar interest in knowing more about this thief. 'Skilled' was an understatement if they were able to break into the castle and make way with something of value such as the scepter. "If I may…" He began to speak, "can I ask the name of this thief? If you have any information on them at all."

"Ah, yes. A witness who saw the thief claims to be none other than Tommit." Gustaf explained.

"Tommit? He's the one who stole the scepter?"

Rannie knowing something came as a surprise to his allies. "You know the guy?" All three asked while looking over to him.

"You don't?" Rannie questioned in return. "Tommit is a well-known bandit. Very skilled in what he does and, impressively, has never been caught. Still, I'm very surprised he was able to steal something from the castle. He must have steel nerves because if he was captured he'd be facing life in prison or execution."

"I want you all to track down Tommit and retrieve the scepter."

The Player waited to see if there were any further instructions but from the sounds of it that was all they needed. A simple fetch quest. "Sounds easy enough." He shrugged.

"I should hope so. We don't know the whereabouts of Tommit, he could be anywhere and Hydeland is a vast kingdom. We'll give you a week to search for the thief."

"Wait, what?" The Player's look of confidence quickly diminished. "You want us to wander throughout Hydeland until we eventually find him? With no leads? What if we walk into some dangerous forbidden territory that belongs to some vicious mythical beast?"

"It shouldn't be a problem for one of the guild's finest, right?" Gustaf was beginning ti wonder why he would question this method as he assumed a handpicked party would be ready for such tasks. "I expected you to be prepared for this."

The Player was prepared to argue but realizing he had already hyped them up to be the best he backed down, remaining silent. He looks over to the Sorceress, hoping she would have a solution for this.

Her response? She was already looking over to him with a half-lidded glance serving as the dullest 'I told you so' face she had ever conceived.

"…Uh, right. The guild's finest. No problem." The Player chuckled bashfully while rubbing the back of his neck. "What if we don't find him? Do we still get paid for trying?"

Gustaf and Vivian face one another and then back to the Player. "No." Gustaf replied while, at the same time, Vivian shook her head.

This response was something the Player wasn't interested in hearing, made evident by how he aggressively eyed the two. "No? You're not going to pay us for breaking our backs and doing your dirty work? Ok, this is typical government bullshit. You can kiss our-"

Before he could say anymore Rannie covered the Player's mouth with his hand. "-Payment goodbye if we don't get the assignment completed within a weeks' time!" Rannie finished the Player's sentence for him, now dragging the muffling male out by force. "We'll get right on it! Thank you so much for the opportunity!"

The Sorceress let out a sigh of relief as Rannie was able to shut the Player up in time. She bows respectfully to the two before thinking of taking her leave. "Um, thank you!" She squealed before grabbing her staff and making a run for the exit behind the boys.

"We'll get it done as soon as we can." The Elf smiled nervously, taking her leave behind the Sorceress.

Gustaf and Vivian weren't sure what to make out of the group, their actions proved to be rather unprofessional to say the least, or maybe this was only in case of the Player, but regardless of professionalism they agreed to the mission and all that mattered was retrieving the royal scepter.

"Well, they certainly are an unlikely bunch of adventurers. Wouldn't you agree?" Gustaf asked Vivian. "I wasn't expecting them to be so young either. Oh well. Whatever the case may be, let's just hope they're skilled enough to make the deadline." He walks off to the western half of the throne room.

Princess Vivian remained silent and watched as Gustaf departed and then back to the door where the party took their leave, her gaze being unreadable.

* * *

 **~ Town Area ~**  
 **Outside the Castle**

The Player was dragged back to the main road and the crew regrouped by the tree to the right of the road that leads to the castle.

"That was close…" Rannie sighed.

The Player laid up against the tree with his arms crossed, clearly annoyed. "Can you believe the nerve of those two? Just up and saying they're not going to pay us if we don't find this thief in a week? People these days."

The Sorceress marched over to him and placed her hands on her hips, not interested in hearing his rant. "You really need to watch your mouth. You can't just say whatever you want to the Prime Minister and the Princess like that. Do you have any idea what would happen if you disrespected them?"

"They're disrespecting US by saying they won't pay for helping them out. Let me remind you that this is THEIR problem."

"A problem YOU agreed to!" She countered.

"Well now I'm regretting it. In fact, I think we should just abandon the job."

"We can't abandon it after we just accepted." The Sorceress argued.

"Pfft! Watch me." The Player turned his back and walks toward the path leading back to the castle.

The Sorceress tackled him before he could get far, pinning him on the ground. "Oh no you don't! You got us into this mess! Now you're going to sit through your own stupidity!"

"My stupidity?! You're the stupid one for agreeing to come along for such a ridiculous job!"

The two continued to go at it, wrestling around in the dirt as passing pedestrians eyed them cautiously, careful to keep their distance away from them. Rannie and the Elf stood on the sidelines watching the two put the other in various holding moves.

The Elf took a breath and looks over to Rannie. "Well, we've got a week. I guess we should start asking around for any clues on Tommit. If we're lucky maybe some folks around town have seen him."

"I know exactly where Tommit is." Rannie replied. The Elf wasn't expecting this and gasped softly.

The Sorceress, who was now bear hugging the Player's face deep into her cleavage,looks over to Rannie. "You do?" She asked sounding surprised while also completely ignoring the Player's desperate struggle for air.

"Yes. I know Tommit, he taught me a great deal of what I know and he's based out in the old capital. He's been able to operate there for years because no one ever dares to venture out into the old ruins."

Now that they had a solution the Elf threw her fist into her palm. "So, all we have to do is go out to the old capital, find Tommit and get the royal scepter back! We'll have this quest done in a day! Nice, Rannie!"

"Rannie, you're brilliant!" The Sorceress complimented with a bright smile.

The young rogue blushed lightly at the girls praise. "The problem is finding him since the old capital is pretty expansive. I've also heard rumors of dragons and wyverns have made it their homes. How Tommit is able to live there is beyond me."

"Well, you leave the fighting stuff to us." The Elf said while pointing to herself, also referring to the Player and Sorceress. "We'll handle it just like how we did in the labyrinth."

The Elf, Sorceress and Player surely did make for an impressive team when handling combat, the synergy they displayed in the past was enough to put Rannie's worrisome heart at ease.

"Well, since you'll be handling the dangerous stuff I guess we have a shot at this." He smiles confidently.

"Excellent!" The Sorceress joyfully fist bumped the air with one hand, she was still holding the Player's motionless body in her bosom.

The Elf noticed the Player's condition and pointed toward him. "Um…Sorceress, is the Player going to be ok?"

"Huh?" She wasn't sure what the Elf was talking about at first but after tracing her finger down to her chest she noticed the Player. "Oops…!" She gasped after accidentally releasing him from her grip, having his lifeless body fall onto the ground, she had no idea she was applying as much pressure as she was.

The group tried multiple attempts to wake him up but nothing worked. It was now a matter of carrying him to their next destination, the Player was mounted on Rannie's back while the Elf carried the rogue's iconic bag.

The party made their way through town and arrived at the mystical gate that would teleport them to their destination.

* * *

 **~ Old Capital ~  
Entrance**

In the distance a falcon's cry echoed throughout the area as a large portal opened among the ancient ruins of the once thriving empire.

The first to fly out of the portal was the Elf, who performed a front flip and landed in a kneeling position.

The Sorceress glides out on her staff and lands gracefully ahead of the Elf.

Rannie falls out and lands on his backside and the Player, while still unconscious, was tossed out on top of Rannie, making the young rogue shriek in pain.

Now that the party had arrived the portal closed behind them. The Elf went to check on the boys, meanwhile the Sorceress was too busy admiring the ruins.

"Rannie, are you feeling ok?" The Elf asked as she helped get the Player off of the rogue, cradling her unconcious ally in her arms as she sat on her knees.

The young rogue managed to pick himself up, placing his hands on his back to push his torso outward thus making his back crack. "Whew… That feels so much better." Rannie let out a quick sigh of relief, rotating his neck to get a good crack out of it as well. "I'm fine, Elf. Thank you."

"I'm glad." She smiles happily. The Player was beginning to come around, moving his head a bit within the Elf's arms much to her joy. "Oh! Guys, he's waking up!"

Rannie and Sorceress heard the Elf and huddled around the Player just in time to see him open his eyes, his blurry vision became clearer with each blink he took.

His friends came to light and it was pleasant seeing his friends: to his left was the Elf, to his right was Rannie but staring him dead in the face was the Sorceress's bust as she was leaning forward with her hands on her knees. Realizing what he was looking at the Player quickly got up and backed away in a fright.

"Aaaah!" His back hit a rock wall, preventing him from moving any farther. The group was confused as to why he had awakened in such a horrified fashion.

"What's wrong with you?" Rannie asked.

"T-T-T-Those….things….!"

"Things?"

The Player directed a timid finger behind them to which the Elf and Rannie followed and realized he was referring to the Sorceress, who was just standing there with a sincere look of confusion.

"Me?" She pointed to herself.

"I tried fighting…calling for help but nothing I did was strong enough to prevent the darkness from consuming me." The Player wrapped his arms around his legs and brought them to his chest for comfort, he never felt more close to death than against her wrath.

The Sorceress then remembered she rendered him unconscious by using a vicious bear hug into her chest. The Player, who was once her rival, was now a shell of his former cocky self. While this was a problem for their 'leader' the Sorceress, interestingly enough, seemed to get a joy out of it. Her state of bewilderment slowly turned into light amusement.

"Heh…heheh….hahaha. Hahahaha! AHAHAHAHAHA!" She let out a hysterical laugh, holding her sides while doing so.

The fact that he was being so scaredy for something that was an accident seemed a tad ridiculous but his reaction was priceless nevertheless. He could fight a Harpy and Doom Beetle no problem but losing his nerve to a hug? Even Rannie let out a few chuckles.

The Elf giggled but she was still on his side, patting his back reassuringly. "No need to be afraid. She didn't mean to knock you out like that."

The Player's gaze was now on the Elf, looking down to her chest he felt a sense of protection and warmth. Feeling overcome with humorous grief he dramatically falls forward onto the Elf and nuzzles his head into her chest with his arms wrapped around her in a loving embrace.

The Elf's eyes widened and her cheeks became a bright shade of red from his sudden actions. "W-What are you doing?" She asked, not even sure how to handle the situation at this point.

"Oh, Elf…my savior. You and your normal sized ladies are truly worthy of praise. You can never bring me harm with such perfect mammaries." The Player pulled back and meet eye-to-eye with the Elf, though a bit teary on his end.

The Elf didn't know how to respond but her cheeks were a bright shade of red, revealing her embarrassment. The Player was then grabbed by the hood of his hoodie and dragged along by the Sorceress who overheard his exaggerated praise.

"Oh, would you stop being so dramatic and come on." The older woman said. She wasn't fond of being made the badguy as he was depicting.

Following her lead Rannie grabbed his bag and helped the Elf up, who then went on to brush her knees clean of the dirt and followed after the Sorceress and Player alongside Rannie.

The party ventured deeper into the old capital - the more they walk the more curious the Player got as he walked along with the group. Rannie lead the party thanks to his knowledge of the layout.

"So, where are we? Last thing I remembered was being back in town." The Player asked the crew who were awake when they arrived.

"This is the old capital." Rannie answered.

The Player took a quick gander and smacked his palm with a hammering fist. "Oh. Right, I knew that."

"A thriving civilization once flourished throughout this land." The Sorceress joined in upon further analysis. "Every fallen building has a story, every road is embedded with footprints of the lost souls that once habited these ruins. A city truly rich with history that is just waiting to be unearthed by those willing to learn…"

The Player donned a tired and uninterested gaze throughout the Sorceress's explanation and rolled his eyes out of boredom. "Narrator, give me the nutshell version. Nobody has time for going to a library to learn about what happened here."

 _'These are the ruins of the ancient capital city. It was destroyed following an invasion from the northern empire. Now it is a dangerous place full of dragons and wyverns.'_

The Sorceress shook her head and sighs, giving him a look of disappoint. "Every time I think you're not so bad you just prove me wrong by doing stuff like that."

"And you guys love me for it." He remarks with a smile, nudging her side with his elbow.

Though she initially maintained the same glance she found herself falling for his playful response which earned a chuckle from the young witch, she couldn't find anything to counter his response regardless, it was all in good fun among the friends.

The party traveled the many ruined pathways leading deeper into the ancient city, they had to climb over debris, maneuver cautiously through decaying buildings and walk across crumbling stone bridges just to make progress.

The sun was already setting as they traveled for what felt like a whole day when, in actuality, it was only an hour or two. Eventually they made their way into one of the fallen temples that lead farther into the ruins. The dark corridors would've proved troublesome if not for the Sorceress lighting the way with her magic.

The Player was beginning to feel the adventure catch up to him as his legs grew tired. "Awww man. We've been walking for hours, are you sure this is the right way, Rannie?"

"Yes. I recognize these ruins. We're almost there."

The Elf jogged her way up to the rogue, now walking beside him with a curious smile. "So, how long have you and Tommit been associated?"

"A few years. He actually took me in when no one else would. To tell you the truth...I never thought I'd cross paths with him again, nor did I believe I'd step foot in this place, not after we disbanded."

"Disbanded?"

"After he taught me all that I needed we became partners. We took scores and made lots of profit back when we were first starting out, I still remember when we made off with our first chest heist - I got my cape stuck in a door and we were almost caught, but by some miracle we were able to get away."

"So why'd you two stop your partnership?" The Sorceress asked, now curious to know more about Rannie's history with his old mentor.

There was a brief moment of silence.

"Life has a funny way of showing how ugly it can be, especially when you feel you understand your connection with other people after so long. Tommit felt he didn't need me anymore, saw me as a liability. He felt I didn't have what it took for bigger scores, he even stole the treasure I made for myself during our partnership. I was naive."

The rest of the party wasn't sure what to say, they didn't know, or even would've thought, that Rannie had a past that seemed to bother him. Being abandoned by his mentor from lack of faith sounded rough, especially since he was still just a young man.

"...I'm sorry." The Elf said in a soft tone, feeling she shouldn't have asked.

"I don't want your pity. It's why I only work for money, there's no point in bonds."

The Player tucked his hands into his hoodie pockets, still taking a backseat while Rannie lead the way. "Is that how you feel about us?"

"I told you when we first met I'm only interested in the profit from your adventures. I saw an opportunity when you and Sorceress displayed your survival skills so I took it. I help you with locks and you help me make a living with treasures. That's all it ever was."

The Elf felt her heart sink a bit, after all this time she was under the impression she was friends with Rannie, but she wasn't alive when the pair met so the knowledge was solely based on assumption which she was just now discovering was wrong. The Sorceress and Player faced one another, the latter of which shrugged it off.

* * *

After a long search the party discover a mural depicting ancient times of the old capital with a large boulder in front of it. Observing it didn't serve any real purpose unless one was interested in studying its history, but in reality this was actually the mark of Tommit's hideout. Rannie and the Player used all their strength to move the boulder aside, revealing a tunnel that lead to a hidden room.

Within the room the group discover a hooded bandit who was shocked on this sudden intrusion and broke out into a mild panic, Rannie was able to quickly identify the man as Tommit but he didn't say a word.

"...W-Who are you people? How did you find this place!?" The man stood up from the various treasures spread throughout the area, all stolen goods from various locations throughout Hydeland.

The Player stepped forward, looking among the expensive spoils with a greedy eye. "And what do we have here?"

"Rannie, is that Tommit?" The Sorceress asked.

The young rogue nods. "That's him, the great bandit himself. They say whatever he desires, by thievery he can acquire. Obviously proven true since he was able to steal the scepter."

Tommit was surprised to hear such a familiar name and upon closer inspection he realized the green hooded figure was his old disciple. "….Rannie? Aaah! So it's you. Come to steal my prize?"

"I could care less about any of that. I came for clarification on something. Is it true you stole the royal scepter?"

"Scepter?"

"Don't play dumb." The Player crossed his arms, not interested in waiting any longer than he had to. "Someone has stolen the royal scepter from the castle and witnesses believe it was the bandit, Tommit, who made way with it. You being Tommit, of course."

"That was indeed I!" Tommit proudly claimed. "It was some of my best work yet. I'm still surprised I was able to pull off such a daring heist. Sure, it was difficult, but there was a way. It took careful planning and months of research but I was able t-"

The Player groaned out loudly in a very bored fashion. "Wow! That…that is not interesting. We just want to see the scepter."

"You do? You came all the way out here just to see if I have it?"

The Player, Sorceress and Elf all looked at one another, quiet stares between them as it was best they took a careful approach and play along with pretending they weren't sent by Vivian and Gustaf.

"Uh, yeeeeeah." The Player replied, obviously in a very suspicious way. "That's it. We've come just to see the scepter. Just to make sure you aren't full of BS."

"…BS?" The Elf whispered to the Sorceress who shrugged in confusion, not sure what it meant either.

Tommit began to snicker, he was no fool and could see through their ruse. "I'm not to be taken lightly. Do you really think I'd believe you'd come all the way here to see if my words hold true? You come out to this abandoned city filled with vicious beasts, find my hideout and claim you're only interested in seeing if I was able to steal from the castle. Do you take me for a fool?"

"Would you be surprised if I said 'yes'?" The Player asked with genuine curiousity.

Tommit grabbed his bag, similar to the one Rannie carried, and knocked over multiple shelves containing various antique's, pottery and glass. The party was forced to back away as everything came down, shattering multiple pieces of each item at their feet.

While they were distracted the bandit made his getaway out of a secret escape route at the back of the room.

"Hey!" Rannie shouted while extending his hand out to the exit. "Damn, he got away… We've got to get the scepter back!"

The Player was already way ahead of Rannie, pushing aside the shelves and watching his feet, careful not to step on any of the sharp shards on the ground. "Nnngh! Don't worry he won't."

The Sorceress used her magic to carefully sweep away the fragments and the Elf rushed to the Player's side to help him move the fallen shelves. Now that the path was clear the team made their way to the secret passage and gave chase. The first corridor lead them through an area submerged in water. They had to make their way through waist deep water which only delayed their pursuit.

The Player's teeth chattered from the chilling water temperature and he could hardly stand it. "This water is colder than a mother fuc-"

Suddenly, from out of the depths ahead, a giant predator emerged, jumping at the Player with open jaws and razor sharp teeth, very reminiscent of the piranha fish, this was a vicious carnivore that could instantly turn a human body skeletal within minutes.

The Player was instantly cut off his original sentence at the sight of this deadly fish. "OH CRAP!"

Just before the beast could take a bite out of him an arrow pierced through the mouth of the killer fish and sent it flying back into a wall where it was hung and instantly killed from having its head and brain pierced through. The Elf saved her friend just in time.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

"I may have pissed myself but I think I'm good. Thanks." He looked back to the Elf with a grateful smile.

The Sorceress looks back the way they came and noticed a school of incoming predator's similar to the one the Elf just killed.

"Guys, we need to go." She warned.

The other's turn back and realized they weren't clear of danger yet. Without needing to think about it they quickly faced forward and prepared to rush the next room but to their horror another group of killer fish were on the way, trapping them from both sides. This was an attack strategy the fish had and is often how prey were picked to the bone.

The group wouldn't be able to fight this threat due to their disadvantage from being in the water so all hope seemed lost. The killer fish swam quicker and once they were within range they all jumped out of the water, leaping toward the adventurers who all huddled together in a protective ball, all but the Sorceress who used her quick thinking to teleport her friends and herself away into the next corridor that lead to Tommit's escape route.

The fish missed their targets and collided with one another mid jump, they fell back into the water shortly afterward.

"We're dead." The Player said amongst the group, still huddled together with the Elf and Rannie. "We're dead, we're dead, we're dead, we're dead."

The Sorceress snickered as she stood over the group, now taping the back of the Player's head with her staff. "We're all alive."

The Player opened his eyes and noticed they were no longer in the water, he raised his head and looks around, seeing they managed to escape death once again...they were pretty good at that. From a watery grave to solid ground the Player knew this was the work of the Sorceress.

"We're alive!" He jumped for joy, his eyes glimmering at the Sorceress once he faced her. "And it's thanks to your teleporting, right? I may never get used to that but my god is it awesome. You rock!"

The Sorceress blushed at his praise and held her chest out proudly, displaying a hints of a boosted ego, something she always scolded the Player for displaying. "Well, I don't want to toot my own horn but-"

"Actually, I changed my mind." The Player interrupted once he realized she was starting to get full of herself. "We don't have enough room on this team for two egomaniacs. I have that role down because I'm awesome. You can stay as our support."

The moment he disregarded her the Sorceress's high was sent crashing down in an instant. She snarled at him with sharp teeth and red eyes that were heavily shadowed by darkness that covered the top portion of her face before making an attempt to lunge at him but the Elf quickly intervened and held her back. She ultimately calmed down and but the Sorceress was still sulking.

Rannie kicked the water out of his trousers and shoes with a heavy sigh of relief, he could still feel his heart racing. The Player pat his back to get his attention though it was bit hard, enough to make the bandit jerk forward.

"Oof!" Rannie flinched.

"You holding up ok?" The Player asked.

"O-Oh, yeah. Just wasn't expecting that. I'm glad we were able to make it out alive..."

"Right? But it's not over yet. Let's go find Tommit before he gets away. It'd be a shame if we came all this way for nothing. I actually can't wait to see his face once we get that scepter back."

The Sorceress and Elf joined the boys shortly afterward. "Our goal is just ahead." The Elf said with her bow at the ready for probable danger that awaited them.

"Let's focus on the mission and retrieve the scepter." The Sorceress added with a look of confidence supported by a beautiful smile.

Seeing his partners so determined and ready was a sigh of relief for the rogue but facing his old mentor wouldn't be a simple task, the old wounds haven't healed yet but it had to be done for the sake of the mission.

The Player looks out to his teammates and nods. "Remember, we're a team. We stick together no matter what. So, no crying over bugs, **Sorceress**."

The Sorceress nearly broke character but maintained her composure, instead she cracked a forced grin. "Right." She muttered from behind her teeth.

"Good. Now, team, let's make sure we all get home safely."

Leading them on the Player ran ahead with the Sorceress and Elf following after him, Rannie watched them off, remaining silent and distant from the discussed plan. He looked down to the ground as if he was lost in thought but after giving it a second he shook his head and sighed heavily.

The rogue hurries to catch up with the others for the showdown with Tommit.


End file.
